Headlines
Kerala opposition, government lock horns over custodial death
Thiruvananthapuram, July 13
The custodial
death of a Dalit youth in Kottayam echoed in the state legislative
assembly on Monday, with the Left opposition demanding immediate action
against the police officials concerned.
The Kerala government continued to stick to its stand for a judicial probe into the incident.
"You
never demanded a judicial probe. Since we have nothing to hide or to
support anyone, we announced a judicial probe into the custodial death
and will see that adequate compensation is given to the victim's
family," Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said on the floor of the
Kerala assembly.
The opposition Left Front is observing a
dawn-to-dusk shutdown in Kottayam district on Monday to protest the
death of 40-year-old labourer Siby in police custody.
The
opposition is demanding strict action against officials of
Marangatupally police station who allegedly beat Siby to death. He was
picked up on June 29 for a drunken brawl.
Police, however, said
Siby suffered a head injury before he was taken into custody. A
17-year-old boy has been detained for injuring him during the brawl.
Siby was admitted to Kottayam Medical College hospital where he passed away on Saturday.
"It
was very recently that Chennithala announced that special consideration
will be extended to Dalits at police stations. And look, what has
happened. Is beating to death the so-called special consideration,"
asked former Kerala assembly speaker and senior CPI-M legislator K.
Radhakrishnan, while seeking leave for an adjournment motion.
Chennithala,
however, hit back at former state home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan
who kept on interrupting him while he was speaking.
"When you
were the home minister (2006-11), 13 custodial deaths took place and you
never did what you are asking now. But since we have nothing to hide
and none to defend, we have announced a judicial probe and we will sit
together to decide what sort of judicial probe should be held," said
Chennithala.
The Left opposition, smarting under a recent
by-election defeat, was not satisfied. Leader of the Opposition, V.S.
Achuthanandan, demanded immediate arrest of the guilty police officials.
With the government standing firm on a judicial probe, the
opposition members resorted to a sit-in in the well of the House,
forcing the speaker to rush through the listed business of the day and
adjourn the assembly for the day.