Kerala - Kozhikode   

UDF stages protest over `custodial death'

Staff Reporter

Blocks post-mortem examination

KOZHIKODE: Heated scenes were witnessed at the Government medical college hospital and the General Hospital (Beach) here on Tuesday as United Democratic Front (UDF) supporters staged protests on the death of Abdul Razak, who allegedly died in police custody on Monday.

The body of Razak was brought from the General Hospital (Beach) to the Medical College Hospital around noon today for post-mortem examination.

(The 55-year old Abdul Razak, who was taken into custody by the police on Monday, swooned and died during interrogation at the Panniyankara Police Station. Razak had been taken into custody for allegedly stealing a mobile phone. Panniyankara Police Station Sub-Inspector M.D. Sunil was placed under suspension after the incident. According to hospital sources, Razak was brought dead to the Beach hospital.)

Revenue Divisional Officer in-charge Unnikrishna Pillai and Tahsildar C. Vijayan Kidave, who came to the medical college hospital to oversee the post-mortem formalities, were waylaid by the protesters for more than an hour.

The protesters refused to allow conducting the post-mortem examination and demanded payment of compensation of Rs. 5 lakhs to the next of kin of the deceased.

Meanwhile, U.C. Raman, MLA, kept in touch with Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy, who is in New Delhi.

It was only after an assurance from Mr. Chandy, following consultations with Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, that compensation would be paid to the kin of the deceased that the protesters allowed the post-mortem examination. The amount to be paid was not stated, however.

An ex gratia payment of Rs. 10,000 was paid on an urgent basis to the next of kin of Razak.

Earlier, UDF supporters had protested against the alleged police move to remove the body of Razak from the General Hospital to the police station.

The UDF observed a hartal at Perumanna on Tuesday from where Razak hails.

Razak was a trader selling foreign goods at the Sweet Meat Bazaar here. The body was handed over to relatives and cremated at the Jumaat Mosque, Mukhdar, this evening.

A meeting of the UDF was held here to discuss the circumstances leading to the death of Razak.

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