The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Custodial death: State for reinvestigation

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Tuesday, Jul 17, 2007
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Custodial death: State for reinvestigation

Staff Reporter

Thiruvananthapuram: The Government will seek permission of the court for reinvestigating the custodial death of Udayakumar at the Fort police station two years ago, Minister for Home and Tourism Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said.

Replying to questions in the Assembly on Monday, the Minister said several lapses had been found in the investigation into the death of the youth in police custody. “The court’s permission is needed for reinvestigation and the police have been instructed to take necessary steps in this direction.”

Mr. Balakrishnan said the accused were three policemen and the witnesses were taken to the court for giving their statement. The Home Minister assured the House that the Government would see to that the culprits were punished.

In reply to another question, the Home Minister said the Government would not encourage third degree methods in police stations. Stern action would be taken against those violating the Government directive in this regard.

Although a Police Complaint Authority had been set up with the former High Court judge K.K. Dinesan as chairman to look into complaints above SP and above, it had not started functioning.

The district-level authorities headed by former district judges would look into the complaints below the rank of DySP.

Minister for Public Works T.U. Kuruvila said a Road Maintenance Management System (RMMS) had been developed under the KSTP for maintenance of roads. Steps would be taken to repair the roads in Ernakulam at a cost of Rs.60 crore. The repairs on M.C. Road would be taken up after monsoon.

Mr. Kuruvila said talks were on with the companies that had been entrusted with the works on M.C. Road and in the capital to resume the work. A sum of Rs.857.7 crore was due to the contractors as on May 31 this year, he added.

In reply to a question, Minister for Agriculture Mullakkara Ratnakaran said a Rs.2,800-lakh project would be implemented to promote organic farming. In addition, a Rs.60.7 lakh proposal had been sent to the Centre.

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