A phone conversation, which was thrown into a tizzy a few days ago by Anna Chakkappan, an elderly woman living in Varpuzha on the outskirts of Kochi.
His heart listening to his son, MJ Sijan, left a beating, asking a policeman, a policeman from Ernakulam Central Police Station, whether he should go to jail. Nervousness caught him. The dreaded memories of torture allegedly ended by her son in a prison in Ernakulam.
Struggling him to stay stable, Sijan took him to a nearby hospital.
The policeman who called Sisanan wanted his presence at the police station to record his statement on his complaint against some jail authorities, who allegedly tortured him in custody some time ago. He is firm to take legal action against criminals of custodial violence.
A few kilometers from his home, Shyamala Ramakrishnan, a domestic help, who lives in Devasvampdam in Varapujha, shouts on TV. The scene brings back the memories of his son, Mr. Sreejith, who in April 2018 died due to the alleged stomach injuries due to custodial torture.
Sreejith was allegedly scored by the rural tiger force now disbanded as a special police squad for suspected participation in a home-disturbing incident among nine youth. In declaration of his death, Sreejith said that he was assaulted with two unknown plain plain.
The peace of Shyamala was shattered by the recent acquittal of the police personnel accused in the alleged Custodial Death case at PETA police station in Thiruvananthapuram and immersed her in the abyss of pain.
“I am afraid that my son’s killers will also be scott-free. I want justice for my son,” she says. Sreejith’s family members are engaged in a legal battle to book those responsible for their alleged custodial torture.
Custodial torture complaints are being put after vs. Suzith, a youth Congress workers in Thrissur succeeded in receiving CCTV footage of policemen, to brutally attack him at Kunkulam police station in 2023. He received the footage after being raised in favor of the State Information Commission.
After the suit, Muvatupuzha, Amal Antony of Kochi has also taken the right to the information route to receive the details of the policemen, who reportedly tortured them into custody. The implementation raised by the Muwattupuzha police on August 12, 2025 on charges of theft, was allegedly harassed in custody before being released on the same day when it became clear that he was innocent in the case. Amal alleged that the police have refused to register an FIR on their complaint regarding torture.
In another case of alleged illegal arrests and custodial torture, VK Thajudh, a non -resident Indian, has filed a lawsuit against three police officers of the district, who are demanding and 1 crore in the form of compensation for torture and pain and there has
He has complained to the Kerala High Court that he was illegally arrested and detained for 54 days on false allegations of chain-snatching. His wife, son, daughter, and seven -year -old grandson, who was helplessly detained the police and has also demanded compensation from police officers for mental torture, pain and pain, abusing him.
System rot
Former Director General of Police A. Hemachandran says that the view of the recently revealed custodial torture “reflects the rot that has been cred to the state police for a long time.”
“Custodial violence has long been in the police system with different intensity. However, stopping the knee shock reactions for the incidents that ended in most deaths or involving political activists, no gradual governments have made no serious effort to address it. Police have also practiced using police force for political forces.”
Does he most concern what he explains the social acceptance of custodial violence.
“I was surprised by the audience of the Malayalam film. Action hero Biju He gave a sub-invit to his hero to the violence of his hero. People were pleasing to the violence and physical abuse committed by the character at the police station. This approach will change, ”he suggests.
Police personnel should be closely looked after, and punishment given to the culprit to eliminate barbaric practice. The police force will have a social audit and social control to keep criminal elements on lease, the former top police.
Former Director General of Police TP Senkumar also shared Hemachandran’s views on the sick effects of the politicization of the police. “Many times, senior officials will have to look at the leaders of the political party involving shots in the police administration. Some political parties have established groups of politically loyal police personnel. Police association also gets involved in the transfer and posting of officers, which is an undesirable practice,” they think.
Senkumar noted that “at least 10% of police personnel have a criminal tendency, and half of them are criminals who will be taken out.” Overwork and disappointed officers who are at the end of their intellect can bring out their anger on people. The State Security Commission, which is considered to monitor and regulate police activities, is non-existent in Kerala, they say.
Meanwhile, JB Koshi, former chairperson of the Kerala State Human Rights Commission, indicates examples of the police system, including senior officials, confrontation with criminals of custodial cruelty to avoid legal action. “The police had presented false reports and tried to mislead the Commission in some cases of custodial violence to protect the wrongdoers. The police were forced to recall their false reports and come up with factual reports after the commission stood in the field,” Koshi said, Koshi said, also the former Judge of Kerala High Court.
He recently cited an example in which a bank officer in Thodupuzha was allegedly implicated and physically tortured in the case of sexual exploitation. He says, “The police cooked a false story to cover the crime. Finally, a senior female police officer had to apologize to the victim and pay a compensation of ₹ 10 lakh.”
Judicial intervention
Legal experts indicate several examples of judicial intervention, including the Supreme Court’s historic decision in the DK Basu case, the apex court listed the police’s human rights violations and measures to investigate custodial torture and violence to end criminal acts.
Kerala After the recommendation of the Narayan Kurup Commission, medical examination was made mandatory for the suspects sent to custody, who investigated the custodial death of Rajkumar, a private financial financer of Nedumkandam in Idukki on 21 June 2019.
In addition, the Kerala High Court had directed the judicial officials that when the accused is presented before them, search for signs of custodial torture. The court convicted the judicial officer, before which the prince was produced for “lack of hard work”, apparently before bringing him back to custody to notice the inauspicious mark of physical torture on the prince.
Zero tolerance for illegal acts: SPC
State police chief Ravada Chandrashekhar says that there will be zero tolerance for illegal acts done by the members of the force and will be strictly dealt with by all acts of custodial torture. They say that the department has already initiated action in cases of all custodial torture including Kunamkulam.
Chandrasekhar feels that isolated incidents of torture will not be normalized and will be used to reduce the importance of the police force, which provides security and protection to the public. Each day, the police attach thousands of people across the state and provide them relief and solitude, they say.
“The police is part of the society in which we live. Therefore, the society will cooperate with the police to provide them better service. On their behalf, the police will show excessive restraint and sensitivity to the people. There should be mutual respect for the police and the general public.”
The Kerala Police Association, the only organization of police personnel, chose themselves to distance themselves from the alleged incidents of custodial violence.
The president of the organization GP Abhijith says, “The police force reflects the society in this way, and the society may also have unwanted elements. The association will not protect the wrongdoings.” He hurries to add that the entire force will not be convicted for such an uproar.
The association is interacting with the authorities about the latest development and will continue to lead the initiative to humanize the force. They say that stray incidents of custodial violence will not be used to undo the work of personnel and destroy the force, they say.
Since her husband’s untimely and cruel death, Rajkumar’s wife M. Vijaya’s wife VP never lived for Akhila. Although the government had given compensation to both and provided employment in government service, nothing would be sufficient to compensate for the damage faced by them. Jobs, they know, came with a heavy price: her husband’s life.
,Live in Kochi. With input from ragesh,
