Kerala - Palakkad   

Custodial death: UDF demands compensation

Staff Reporter

Government urged to order judicial inquiry into the incident

PALAKKAD: The United Democratic Front (UDF) has demanded that the Government pay compensation to the family members of Parameswaran of Mangalam Dam who died while in police custody on Sunday.

Addressing a press conference at the DCC office here on Tuesday, KPCC general secretary and former Minister K. Sudhakaran and other UDF district leaders said they wanted the Government to order a judicial inquiry into the incident. If the policemen were found guilty, they should be charged with the murder of Parameswaran.

Mr. Sudhakaran said there were a couple of wounds on the body of Parameswaran, who had no criminal records. There is suspicion of the suppression of the arrest of Parameswaran. The police had said that he was arrested on Sunday. But he was taken into custody on Saturday night. He was taken into custody on a complaint that he had snatched money from his neighbour and the police arrested him immediately after the complaint filed on Saturday night. The police said he collapsed and died while he was taken to recover the `loot'. But the deep wounds on his body showed that he was tortured by the police and resulted in the death.

Mr. Sudhakaran alleged that ``the number of lock up deaths and the breaking down of law and order during the last two months of the LDF were due to letting out of criminals by the Government. After they assumed power the CPI(M) feeder organisations such as Students Federation of India (SFI) are indulging in forced collection of money," he said.

He alleged that the Kannur Central Jail is now ruled by the CPI(M) faction in the jail. The Home Minister ordered the jail authorities to provide television sets for the prisoners of Kannur jail to see the football match. If the prisoners are allowed all such facilities it is better to release them from the jail,'' he said. Meanwhile, a protest meeting on the death of Parameswaran was held at Mangalam Dam.

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