The Hindu : Kerala News : An exercise in damage control

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Saturday, Jul 29, 2006

Kerala

Kerala

An exercise in damage control

The Police Department is taking steps to refurbish its image after drawing flak over complaints about lock-up torture and custodial deaths, writes Biju Govind.

Custodial deaths reported from different parts of the State in the recent past have forced the police to be more careful in dealing with arrest and registration of cases at police stations in North Kerala.

A meeting between Superintendents of Police and the Kozhikode City Police Commissioner on this issue was held here on Friday. North Zone Inspector General of Police M.N.Krishnamurthy chaired the meeting. This followed a recent video conferencing held by Minister for Home and Vigilance Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Director General of Police Raman Srivastava from Thiruvananthapuram with SPs in all districts of the State.

Mr. Krishnamurthy said the senior police officials have been issued instructions to advise their subordinates to avoid third degree methods of questioning in police stations.

At least five persons have died allegedly on account of police torture, including one in the State Capital, in the last two weeks. One of these incidents also occurred within the jurisdiction of the Kozhikode City Police Commissioner. However, it has been revealed in the post -mortem examination report that the accused died on account of atherosclerosis of the coronary artery. The Panniyankara police station had arrested Abdul Razak, 55, last week on charges of stealing a mobile phone and attempting to snatch a gold chain from the house of a resident at Elathoor on the outskirts of the city.

A team of doctors attached to the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital had conducted the post -mortem examination on the body of Abdul Razak, who had swooned during interrogation at the Panniyankara police station.

Kannur Range Deputy Inspector General of Police V. Shantaram placed under suspension Panniyankara Sub-Inspector M.D. Sunil in connection with the incident. Assistant Commissioner of Police V. Chandran was asked to conduct a departmental inquiry.

Although it has been confirmed that Abduk Razak died of atherosclerosis of the coronary artery and that police records showed that he had been convicted in four cases, people in general believe that the accused died of torture in police custody. Besides, the accused was taken into custody without registering a first information report (FIR) at the police station.

Mr. Krishnamurthy said stern action would be taken against officials who do not follow the rules during arrests in connection with cases. Officers have been asked to stick to the prescribed norms while taking anyone into custody for interrogation.

Normally police officers summon a person in connection with a case without even registering a case just as it happened at the Panniyankara police station.

"Station house officers will now be more cautious before summoning people to police stations. Officers have been asked to tackle law and order without infringing on the rights of the accused," he said.

Lock- up tortures have given a bad image to the force at a time when a humane face is being given to the police department.

Unlike in the past, citizens can freely walk into a police station to file a complaint or seek help from personnel without external influence. But officers needed to control their emotions and instincts and stick to the rulebook even when dealing with hardened criminals, Mr. Krishnamurthy said.

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