Even as visuals of a Youth Congress leader being tortured at Kunnamkulam police station in Thrissur have triggered widespread outrage in Kerala, CCTV footage of another custodial torture incident at Peechi police station in the same district has now surfaced.
The incident dates back to May 24, 2023, when a dispute broke out at the Food and Fun Hotel run by the Laly’s Group at Pattikkad between a customer and some staff members.
Thrissur-based businessman KP Ouseph, Managing Director of Laly’s Group, released the CCTV footage of the torture after a year-and-a-half-long legal battle. The footage shows two hotel employees being subjected to custodial violence inside Peechi police station.
The case began after an argument between Dhineesh of Palakkad and hotel staff. Dhineesh later approached Peechi police, alleging that he had been assaulted by the employees.
Following this, the hotel manager Ronny Johny and driver Libin Philip were summoned to the station, where they were allegedly assaulted by Sub-Inspector PM Ratheesh.
“When my son Paul Joseph reached the station, he too was locked up,” alleged Ouseph, adding that the sub-inspector even threatened to shut down his business. Ouseph further claimed that Ratheesh pressured him to settle with Dhineesh, who allegedly demanded ₹5 lakh.
“Dhineesh told me that ₹3 lakh would go to the police officials, while he would keep ₹2 lakh,” Ouseph said. He claimed he was forced to pay the amount in front of CCTV cameras at the police station. The hotel staff were released after Dhineesh left Thrissur district, submitting a statement that no one had assaulted him.
The next day, Ouseph approached the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ollur, who directed him to Thrissur City Police Commissioner Ankit Ashokan. He then filed a written complaint, after which Dhineesh was arrested but soon secured bail as the money could not be recovered.
Ouseph alleged that despite his complaint, no action was taken against the police officers involved. He finally obtained the footage of the custodial torture after one and a half years of legal struggle.
Meanwhile, in a related case, four policemen from Kunnamkulam police station in Thrissur were suspended on Saturday for assaulting Youth Congress leader VS Sujith in 2023. The action followed Sujith’s efforts under the RTI Act, through which he obtained CCTV footage after a two-year-long battle.
Separately, Jayakrishnan Thannithod, former SFI Pathanamthitta district president, revealed in a Facebook post that he was subjected to custodial torture in 2012, alleging that police officers beat him on the soles of his feet, sprayed chilli powder into his eyes and body, and caused ear damage. He specifically named Alappuzha DySP and former Konni Circle Inspector Madhubabu.
In yet another case, Sajeev, Nedumpana local committee secretary of CPI(M), alleged that Andrik Gomez, Station House Officer (SHO) of Kannanalloor, physically assaulted him.