'Anyone will react': Retd Colonel S Dinny after Kerala cops assault soldier
On Friday, Kerala police released CCTV footage of the police station after four officials were suspended in this matter. It can be seen that the police were the ones who hit Vishnu first. "If a person who has committed no crime is dragged in by the shirt, anyone will react," Colonel Dinny said.
FollowColonel S Dinny (retd) said that Vishnu, a soldier, who was beaten by the police in Kilikollur was in a way that it was not even done by terrorists. Speaking to Asianet News, Colonel Dinny said that there was no need to attack brutally just for the sake of ego.
On Friday, Kerala police released CCTV footage of the police station after four officials were suspended in this matter. It can be seen that the police were the ones who hit Vishnu first. "If a person who has committed no crime is dragged in by the shirt, anyone will react," Colonel S Dinny (Retd) said.
Watch the video here:
"If a soldier is arrested or an FIR is lodged, the Police must report to the nearest military station within 24 hours. But the police did not do that. Later it will be informed at Pangode Military Station," Colonel S Dinny (Retd) said.
Colonel S Dinny also accused the police of trying to make a fake MDMA case because of the initial failure.
The colonel also said that if a soldier is to be arrested, permission from army officials is required. Vishnu's brother Vignesh is a DYFI activist. The colonel said that it was only because of this that the issue reached the people.
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On Thursday, the Kerala police suspended as many as four police officers, including a station house officer, in connection with the alleged custodial torture of an army soldier and his brother Kollam district on August 25. The victims were identified as P Vignesh and his elder brother Vishnu.
The suspended police officers are SHO K Vinod, sub inspector Anish AP, ASI Prakash Chandran and civil police officer Manikantan Pillai.
According to a complaint lodged by Vignesh, on August 25, he was summoned to Kilikollur police station to bail a friend who was arrested on charges of keeping drugs (MDMA).
Vignesh and Vishnu refused to pay for the bail, and an altercation ensued between them and the police officials. The brothers were eventually booked under section 353 of the IPC for attacking police officials on duty and forcibly trying to release one of the prisoners.
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Vignesh alleged that the police tortured them for hours. When asked for water, they were given a cup and asked to drink urine, he alleged in the complaint.
"Even after we were released, the policemen came to the hospital and threatened to frame us in the drug case if we revealed the truth. My brother was also threatened that they will inform army officials about the recovery of drugs," Vignesh had said.
A doctor who treated the brothers said the incident has damaged Vignesh’s spinal cord and his recovery will take a long time.
The matter came to light on Thursday, following which the police launched a probe into the matter.
Inspector General of Police (southern range) P Prakash said preliminary inquiry has pointed to serious lapses on the part of the accused officers. An enquiry by a top police official was ordered and a report would be compiled in two weeks, the suspension order said.
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