Five cops to be terminated from service in Nedumkandam custodial death case, financial aid for Rajkumar’s family

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has directed to prosecute five officials accused in the custodial death case of Rajkumar at Nedumkandam in Idukki. Directions were given to state police chief in this regard and also directed to terminate the accused from service.

The government will give financial aid to the family of Rajkumar. Justice Narayana Kurup Commission recommended the government to give a total of Rs 45 lakh to his wife and other family members. The commission observed that Rajkumar died of custodial death and the police had sabotaged even his post-mortem. The government tabled the commission report in the Kerala Assembly.

Police blatantly violated laws and courts. The judicial commission report asserted that it was an unparalleled incident. The Nedumkandam police arrested Rajkumar, a native of Vagamon, on June 12, 2019 in connection with the Haritha Finance scam. However, without recording his custody, he was brutally beaten for four days in a bid to recover the money.

Rajkumar died in jail after his health condition worsened. The police initially tried to resolve the matter by saying that it was a heart attack. However, when his relatives turned against the police, the crime branch took over the probe. The government appointed a judicial commission on July 4 for a parallel inquiry after complaints were raised against the investigation by the police arraigned in the case including the district police chief.