Custodial death: court-monitored probe sought

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president M.M. Hassan has called for a court-monitored probe into the case of custodial death of S.R. Sreejith.

Addressing a news conference here on Wednesday , Mr. Hassan also demanded that murder charges should be framed against the police officers involved in the incident. It was shocking that the police took the 26-year-old person into custody on the basis of mistaken identity and tortured him to death. The incident revealed the disgraceful behaviour of the police.

Only a court-monitored probe, Mr. Hassan said, would shed light into the case and bring the culprits to book.

The State government had suspended three police officers to create a smokescreen following the public outcry. Even a proper inquiry was not conducted before taking the decision on the suspensions, he said.

He demanded that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan relinquish the Home portfolio, owing moral responsibility for the incident.

“The State has never heard of a custodial death based on mistaken identity. Police atrocities have increased after the Left government assumed power two years ago and police stations have become concentration camps in the State,” Mr. Hassan said.

He also criticised the BJP for deriving political mileage out of the issue and creating nuisance for the public in the name of the gruesome incident.