The Hindu : Kerala News : Youth dies in police custody

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 24, 2006

Kerala

Kerala

Youth dies in police custody

Staff Reporter

PALAKKAD: A youth, accused in a robbery case, died while being taken by the police on Sunday to the scene of crime.

Parameswaran, 26, of Mariyampadam House near Mangalam Dam was an accused in a complaint filed by his neighbour Chandran.

The latter had complained to the Mangalam Dam police that Parameswaran had snatched away Rs.2,000 from him near Kalavappadam bus stop on Saturday night after beating him up.

Parameswaran collapsed while the police took him to the bus stop and died en route to Alathur Taluk Hospital.

He was first taken to the Public Health Centre at Kizhakkencherry and then to the Public Health Centre at Vadakkancherry.

As there were no doctors at these hospitals he was taken to Alathur Taluk Hospital where the doctors pronounced him dead.

Police version

The police said that the deceased was taken to custody only on Sunday morning and he was not tortured.

But his relatives alleged that the police took him into custody on Saturday night and he was tortured to death.

The body has been kept at the hospital mortuary and the post mortem examination will be done at Thrissur Medical College on Monday, the police said.

Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who was on a visit to the district on Sunday, ordered an inquiry into the incident by District Superintendent of Police Sparjan Kumar.

He will submit his report of the DIG, Thrissur Range, on Monday.

Inspector General of Police, Northern Range, M.N. Krishnamurthy said that action would be taken against policemen, if found guilty.

Congress protest

However, the District Congress Committee organised a public meeting on the Alathur Taluk Hospital premises to protest against the incident.

Inaugurating the protest, DCC president V.S. Vijayaraghavan demanded an inquiry into the incident.

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