Protests against police assault gain momentum

KOCHI: Public protests against police excess on youngsters who had been engaged in a game of cricket at Fort Kochi are gathering steam, with several political outfits and organisations staging protests before the Fort Kochi police station on Monday demanding action against the police official responsible for the assault.

It was on Sunday that a group of youngsters playing cricket on a vacant plot near the Customs jetty in Fort Kochi was roughed up by the police officials. Following this, two of the younsters were admitted to a city-based private hospital. Meanwhile, three others are undergoing treatment at the Taluk Hospital in Fort Kochi. 

However, after the issue threatened to snowball into a major row, police went into damage control mode and sought to justify the action on the grounds that prohibitory orders had been clamped on the area. 
Moreover, they said cases were registered against 25 persons who violated the ban orders by gathering in the area.

“The youths got injured after they fell down while attempting to flee as police arrived. Patrolling was being conducted in the area following complaints from local residents that drug abuse was rampant,” said an officer. Local residents, though said a civil police officer, who is part of the anti-drug squad, unleashed violence on the youths without any provocation.