The Hindu : Killi incident: judicial probe sought

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 10, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Killi incident: judicial probe sought

Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI Dec. 9. A writ petition was filed before the Kerala High Court seeking a direction to the State Government to appoint a judicial commission to inquire into the alleged police atrocities in Killi and to suggest measures to check atrocities by the police.

The petition was filed by Vincent Panikulangara, High Court lawyer.

The petition also sought a CBI inquiry to unearth the conspiracy in the police department that had resulted in the alleged atrocities in Killi.

The petition also pleaded that a directive be issued to the State Government to compensate the 17 victims in Killi and to realise the amount by confiscating the salary, retirement benefits and other assets of the officers responsible for the atrocities.

According to the petitioner, the alleged police excesses took place in Killi on October 5, 2003.

A large contingent of police that descended on Killi in Thiruvananthapuram broke open the gates and doors of houses and manhandled children, women and men.

The police took into custody nine men from their housesin Killi.

The police attack was a sequel to a confrontation between the police and some local people on September 28.

The petitioner pointed out that the police had grossly violated human rights, tortured innocent children and women who were sleeping in their houses and committed grave offences..

Directive to hold polls

Justice C.N. Ramachandran Nair has directed the ad hoc committee of the Kerala Sports Council to take immediate steps for completing elections to the council and constitute a new council within four months.

The court also restrained the council from taking any major policy decision. However, the council would be free to take a decision on participation in sports events, the court said. The directives were issued on a writ petition filed by C.M. Mathew of Thodupuzha

Writ against ST payment

A writ was filed by Pepsico Holdings challenging the Sales Tax Commissioner's order asking the company to pay an additional sales tax of Rs. 1. 25 crores.

Police action endorsed

A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court dismissed a writ petition against the action of the Kochi City Police Commissioner in taking over their land and building at Palarivattom occupied by the Second Ernakulam St. John Open Scout Group for establishing a police aid post.

The Bench comprising Justice J.K. Koshy and Justice K. Thankappan held that the police commissioner could evict the scout group after giving them three days notice.

The court had earlier directed the Archives Department to file an affidavit after verifying whether there was a `Vilambaram' (declaration) issued in 1939 by the Dewan of the erstwhile Cochin State allotting eight cents of land to the Second Ernakulam St. John Open Scout Group as claimed by the petitioner.

However, the Archives Department was not able to come across such a declaration.

In fact, a 1938 order of the erstwhile Cochin State leasing the property to the ground said that the police commissioner could evict the group after giving them three days notice.

The writ petitions were filed by the Action Council for the Second Ernakulam St. John Open Scout Group and others. According to them, the scout group was established in 1932 and the Maharaja of Cochin had allotted them 8 cents of land.

The police had taken the land into their possession on the ground that a police station had functioned on the land. The petitioners contended that the police station functioning on the property had been shifted to Edappally in 1934.

Therefore, the action of the Tahsildar and the police commissioner was illegal and the petitioners sought a direction to the State Government to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the City Police Commissioner and others for illegally occupying the property and the building.

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