Leaders of various political parties and youth organisations who spearheaded a protest in front of the Vadakara police station on Friday are closely following the case, giving moral support to the witnesses to explain the incidents before the investigation officers and to testify in the court.
Though the post-mortem report has reportedly indicated a cardiac arrest as the cause of death, the protesters allege that the reason for the cardiac arrest is police assault.
Though they are partly happy with the swift police action, a stronger department-level move based on the post-mortem report is what they look forward to. They also demand that the officers, if found responsible, should be terminated from service.
N. Venu, State secretary of the Revolutionary Marxist Party of India (RMPI), said the suspension was ordered mainly for the alleged laxity on the part of the three police officers in helping the victim get medical support. “They are suspected of manhandling the victim at the station. Further action should be taken based on the post-mortem report. Any laxity in that will trigger mass protests again,” he said.
Democratic Youth Federation of India State president V. Vaseef said the actions taken by the police so far were satisfactory, and that his organisation was expecting justice for the victim. “Our stance is very clear. If the officers are responsible for the death, they should face legal consequences,” he said.
Youth Congress leaders also said there should be a fair investigation. Incidents of custodial tortures should not happen again in a State like Kerala that boasts of community policing initiatives, they said
“We resorted to a protest based on credible information that the vicitm was subjected to physical assault,” said Youth Congress district president R. Shahin. “There is no politics involved in seeking justice,” he said.
