Asked not to sleep on shop veranda; Tamil Nadu native beats up shop owner; severe head and eye injuries

KOCHI: A Tamil Nadu native has been arrested for allegedly beating up a shop owner after the shop owner questioned him about sleeping on the veranda of the shop at night. Sakthivel (43), a native of Thanjavur, who was wandering in and around Kaloor, was caught by the Ernakulam North Police. Joji Francis (52), a resident of St Francis Xavier's Church Rd, Kaloor, was assaulted. He suffered severe head and eye injuries and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kaloor. It is reported that surgery is not possible since he is unconsciousness.

The incident took place on Kaloor St Francis Xavier's Church Road around 10:30 pm on Sunday. Joji owns a building here. Joji's attempt to chase away Sakthivel, who was sleeping on the tiled and well-cleaned verandah, resulted in the beating. Joji asked Sakthivel not to sleep on the verandah and to go somewhere else, but Shaktivel refused. When Joji removed the hand bag which was kept as a pillow, Sakthivel attacked Joji in anger. Shaktivel hit Joji's head on the tile and knocked Joji unconscious. Shaktivel left the place later. It was passers-by who brought Joji to the hospital.

Joji's brother informed the police about this. Sakthivel, who was sleeping in the Kaloor metro station area, was arrested within hours during the investigation led by North CI Prathapchandran. It was the CCTV footage that led the police to the suspect. Sakthivel was produced in court.

People sleeping under metro poles evacuated; order to investigate

The Human Rights Commission has registered a case and ordered an investigation into the complaint that the policemen on patrol are beating up those sleeping under the metro pillar. Commission member VK Binakumari demanded that the Kochi City Police Commissioner submit a report within 15 days.