Dalit teen who killed himself was tortured, reveals postmortem report

Vinayak, the 19-year-old, who killed himself on July 18 after he was released from police custody had sustained serious injuries before death. The post mortem report had confirmed that the Dalit youth had several injuries on his body confirming torture before death.

Pavaratty police had picked the youth on July 17, along with his friend, while they were speaking to their friend, a girl. Police had claimed that the youth was taken into custody for not possessing documents for their bike, but Sarath, the friend of Vinayak, said that they were accused of chain snatching. 

Sarath is currently undergoing treatment at Thrissur Medical College.  He had earlier told media that Vinayak was tortured by a police officer Sajan. 

While the police have denied allegations of torture, the post mortem report confirms that he was brutally tortured. Medical experts state that the marks might be the result of custodial torture. 

There was the abrasion on his nipples, and Sarath had said that the police pinched and hit his nipples. "They slapped and hit us. They pinched Vinayak's nipples and kicked him with boots. It was alleged that he had snatched chain and they even pulled his hair and hit his private parts," he said. 

Though the policemen were suspended after his death, a hashtag #itsmurder is trending on social media. Politicians like T N Prathapan, the DCC president of Thrissur district demanded that the cops must be charged with abetment to suicide and government should provide compensation to Vinayak's family. 
 

• Dalit teen
• #its murder
• Vinayak
• police torture