Kerala custodial death: Rural cops a divided lot over Tiger Force

KOCHI: The functioning of Rural Tiger Force (RTF) formed to tackle goonda activities and check narcotic cases in the rural areas has led to simmering differences within the ranks of the Ernakulam rural police. The activities of RTF have been under scanner following an allegation that RTF members were involved in the custodial death of Sreejith S R of Varappuzha.

According to a section of senior police officers, a decision to dismantle the RTF was taken in a meeting chaired by the district police chief, who constituted the force, on Friday night. “There have been several complaints against the RTF. And finally, an oral directive was given to dismantle the force,” said an officer. According to him, the members of the RTF have been sent back to the AR camp and will no longer function as squad members.

“It was in January 2017 the district police chief constituted the RTF to curb goonda menace and narcotic cases,” said the officer. Incidentally, Jithin Raj, Santosh Kumar and Sumesh were the policemen who took Sreejith into custody from his home and the trio were from the AR camp attached to the RTF. The three officers were also suspended in connection with the incident. A police source said the squad was disbanded after the members expressed their unwillingness to be part of it.

The officers met the police chief and expressed their discomfort working as squad members after the suspension of the three policemen. However, when contacted, District Police Chief A V George denied the reports on dismantling of the RTF squad. “These are all rumours. We have not dismantled the RTF,” said George who have granted at least six good service entries to RTF, a 10-member squad, for their outstanding performance in detecting narcotics cases in the past year.

Chennithala wants govt to disband RTF

T’Puram: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has called for a CBI or judicial probe into the custodial death of S R Sreejith. He asked the government to disband the Rural Tiger Force (RTF), an illegal team formed by Aluva Rural SP A V George, that took Sreejith into custody. Chennithala said a fair probe cannot be expected by the state police in the case.

The Aluva Rural SP should be removed immediately, he said. The government had ignored an earlier warning by the Police Intelligence wing on the RTF, an informal squad comprising AR camp members, Chennithala said. Sreejith was taken into custody by the squad members who came in mufti. They did not follow the Supreme Court guidelines in the arrest and brutally tortured him in custody, Congress leader added.