Devils in uniform? Dalit student roughed up for peeing near Police Quarters in Kerala

A Plus two student and his cousin, who were returning after taking part in Kerala School Arts Festival were allegedly roughed up by policemen for urinating on the compound wall of Police Quarters Complex at Kannur last week.

Athuljith, 17, a Dalit student of Thiroor Govt. Boys Higher Secondary school, who was brutally attacked by a group of police men, is still under treatment. His cousin, Abhilash,26, was also subjected to police torture. 

The complainants said that they were returning from the arts festival venue at around 7.30 on 22 January when they urinated outside a building without knowing that it was Police Quarters. The students from the Malappuram district were not aware that it was the compound wall of Police Quarters. A lady from the quarters scolded them for urinating there and warned them of consequences. 

After that, the student and his cousin joined their team mates who were having food at a nearby hotel. A group of police men reached the hotel within no time, picked both of them and started beating. They dragged the boys outside hotel and continued the attack. Though the onlookers tried to stop the police, they did not take heed. Athuljith fell unconscious on the road after being hit on abdomen. His cousin also sustained injuries. Shocked and panicked by the attack, the students were left in a dilemma what to do next.
 

 Also read: What is wrong with these young Kerala Police officers?
 

James Mathew MLA and District Panchayat President KV Sumesh rushed to the spot when they came to know about the police excess near the School Arts Festival venue, and took the student and his cousin to hospital. Minister KT Jaleel also visited them at the hospital. 

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Though the police was forced to record the statement of the student and his cousin, they did not press a case. No action has been taken again the cops who attacked the student. Now, the student has complained to Chief Minister and DGP seeking justice. 
 

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The incident once again exposed the claims of the state police that it was the most benign among the lot with policies and initiatives including the much hyped 'Janamaitri (people-friendly)Police Project', a  highly publicised scheme of the Kerala Police. Despite all efforts to 'humanise' police, the Police Complaints Authority continues to be flooded with complaints of police atrocities, with more than 100 complaints filed in just two months. 

• Police brutality
• Police Complaints Authority
• Police atrocities
• SC/ST atrocities