Another incident of alleged police brutality in Kerala has now emerged, thanks to a businessman’s two-year-long battle under the Right to Information Act. The incident was allegedly captured in a CCTV camera at a police station in Thrissur.
This comes after a Kerala Youth Congress leader, V S Sujith, secured video footage of alleged police brutality under the RTI Act from a separate incident in 2023, forcing the state government to suspend four policemen — including an inspector.
In the latest incident, which allegedly occurred at Peechi police station in Thrissur on May, 24, 2023, CCTV footage showed sub-inspector P M Ratheesh repeatedly assaulting two people later identified as Roni Johny and Lithin Philip — employees at a hotel run by businessman K P Ouseph, who filed the RTI.
Ouseph, who released the video to the media, alleged Sunday that the incident was in the aftermath of an altercation between the staff of his restaurant and two customers over the quality of food.
According to Ouseph, after two people created an unruly scene at the restaurant, its manager Roni intimated Peechi police who promised but failed to show up. Later, when Roni and the other staff member went to the police station, the customers were allegedly already, alleging that hotel staff had assaulted them.
“At the station, sub-inspector Ratheesh misbehaved with the two of the staff, who had gone to inquire about their complaint. The inspector repeatedly hit Roni and Lithin in the presence of others. They were put in the lock-up,” he claimed.
Ouseph alleged that when he had gone to the station with his son, the policeman threatened to charge the hotel staff with attempted murder if he did not settle up with the complainant.
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“He [the customer] sought Rs 5 lakh to withdraw the complaint against the hotel staff. Out of Rs 5 lakh, he said Rs 3 lakhs are for police. I asked him to come to my house and handed over Rs 5 lakh. He then went to the police station to withdraw the complaint. It was only after that the inspector released my staff members from the lock up,” Ouseph alleged.
Ouseph also played purported CCTV footage of the “cash deal” at his house. The footage purportedly showed Ouseph taking out a few bundles from a cover and handing over the same to a person.
However, the complainant, identified as Dinesh, has denied the allegations, telling a TV channel that he had taken only Rs 5,000 for hospital treatment.
Ouseph alleged he had complained to the police authorities soon after the incident, but there was no action against the officer. After local police refused to share the CCTV footage of the incident, he approached the state information commission, which ordered the police to hand over the footage to the applicant.
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When contacted, South Zone IG S Syamsunder said: “When the incident happened, the officer was working under North Zone IG. Now he is posted in Kochi. I will check the inquiry report against him and see what action has been taken on it”.
Days before, Youth Congress leader V S Sujith had secured video footage of similar police brutality from a separate incident in 2023 under the RTI Act. That video showed police brutality that he faced at the Kunnamkulam police station two years ago.
Following the outrage over the video, four policemen — including a sub inspector — were on Saturday suspended from service in connection with the alleged assault.
