A man, who has been taken into police custody in Kottayam district on charges of creating public nuisance, succumbed to injuries, which was attributed to custodial torture. After the incident triggered wide-spread protest and intervention of the state human rights commission, the home department ordered for a crime branch probe. The CPI (M)-led Opposition called for dawn-to-dusk hartal in Kottayam district on Monday. The victim, P Siby, 40, was nabbed by police from Marangattupally in Kottayam on June 29 after they found him quarreling with another person in an condition. An hour later, his parents Vishwambharan and Leela went to the local police station in search of their son. [related-post] According to Vishwambharan, they found their son dumped behind the police station, drenched in rain. The parents pleaded police to allow them take son back home. But, police picked him up from behind the station and left him in front of the lock-up. Next day, police informed Siby’s relative that his health has deteriorated. He was taken to medical college hospital in Kottayam with the help of the relative, who alleged his body had injures. On Saturday afternoon, he died. CPI (M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said Siby was subjected to brutal torture in police custody and demanded that murder charge be slapped against the police men who tortured the victim. Acting suo motu on the incident, state human rights commission sought a report from the home secretary. Commission chairman Justice B Koshi said government should pay compensation to the family of the victim. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala ordered for a crime branch probe into the death. He said the department would not shield the culprits. Kottayama SP M P Dinesh said the police had not tortured the victim. But there were procedure lapses on the part of the police. He was not subjected to medical examination after recording the arrest. Station house office was transferred, he said.
