Report exposes police brutality during Jallikattu protest

 

Two fact-finding committees independently investigated on the Jallikattu protest and the findings are shocking and disgraceful for the law enforcement authority of the state. The report submitted by the committees exposes the atrocities committed by the police on slum-dwellers and fisherfolk living by the Marina Beach.

 

The fact-finding teams conducted the inquiry in Matraankuppam, Nadukuppam, and Rutharpuram to collect physical as well as digital evidence for developing a comprehensive compensation. Also, residents of the slum areas and fishing hamlets provided proof of police burning huts and vehicles, breaking into houses and beating innocents. 

 

Earlier videos of violence committed by the Tamil Nadu police were making rounds of social media which were denied by the city police commissioner S George. But, the few report is proving his claims wrong. 

 

One of the fact-finding team comprises all women headed by former State Women’s Commission, and the other team is headed by A Marx and Sivakumar, human rights activists. 

 

The all women fact-finding team visited Nadukuppam on January 24 and owing to the ‘urgency of the situation, and the threat of destruction of valuable evidence’ decided to file their report immediately. 

 

Following is what the team established from the initial investigation:

 

a. The police had badly beaten the young men and women who came running into the village in the early hours. 

 

b. The police repeatedly referred to the youngsters as “theeviravadhigal” (terrorists) to justify their violent behaviour and accused the villagers of harbouring terrorists to justify the violence and destruction of property.

 

c. Policewomen were equally physically and verbally abusive as the policemen. 

 

d. The policewomen using some kind ‘inflammable powder like substance’ burned down the fishmarket and targeted shops, hand carts, and other vehicles. 

 

e. Police revisited the site and pressurised the residents to sign a testimonial confirming that the violence and arson were committed by the protesters. However, the residents denied signing the document.

 

f.  Tamil Nadu police also destroyed the only livelihood of about 250 women in the area.

 

g. Women and children were the victims of and witness to the violence, and it can lead to mental trauma. 

 

Apart from this the committee also made various recommendations including high-level independent investigation, ex-gratia compensation, impose penal liability on police personnel who ordered and participated in the violent acts, and so on and so forth. 

 

The report also consists the details of the events, observations, testimonials by the residents that elaborate the sequence of the police atrocities. Rather than just focusing on compensating, the report advocates legal measures to avoid such incidents in future.