Custodial murder: 2 policemen get death penalty; 3 officers jailed

Agencies
July 25, 2018

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 25: In a rare judgment, a special court of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram today awarded death penalty to two policemen in connection with the custodial death of a youth in 2005.

The court had on Tuesday (July 24) found the two personnel – K Jithakumar and S V Sreekumar, both civil police officers at the time of the incident and first and second accused in the case – guilty of custodial torture that led to the death of Udayakumar (27) at the Fort Police Station in Thiruvananthapuram. They were also directed to pay a penalty of Rs 2 lakh each.

CBI special judge J Nasser awarded three-year jail terms each to three other officers - T K Haridas (then assistant commissioner), E K Sabu (then circle inspector) and Ajith Kumar (then sub-inspector) - found guilty of fudging documents and destroying evidence in a cover-up attempt. K V Soman, then additional SI and third accused in the case, died during the trial.

A police team took into custody Udayakumar and his friend Suresh Kumar from the Sreekanteswaram Park in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, 2005, for suspected theft. After ascertaining that Udayakumar was in possession of Rs 4,020, the policemen subjected him to third-degree treatment at the station to extract a confession, including the use of an iron pipe on his body, inflicting severe injuries that led to his death. The officers charged with conspiracy had registered a false case against Udayakumar after his death.

Suresh was among the witnesses who turned hostile after the trial in the case commenced.

J Prabhavathi, Udayakumar’s aged mother who fought the 13-year-long legal battle, called it a landmark judgement and said it was a verdict she was expecting. “No son should have to suffer like my son did,” she told reporters.

Comments

Well Wisher
 - 
Wednesday, 25 Jul 2018

Wow!!!

 

Took too long, yet justice prevailed. We also need such brave judge in DK too.

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News Network
June 2,2020

Mangaluru, Jun 2: Karnataka-Kerala border at Talapady is yet to be opened for traffic despite lifting lockdown. Only those, who have registered on ‘Seva Sindhu’ portal, are given one-time permission to enter the district.

With the relaxation of the lock-down many, especially the labour class, were anticipating free movement. However, both the States have not allowed free movement of vehicles. Hundreds of people from bordering villages of Kerala arrive in Mangaluru for work and likewise many from bordering villages of Mangaluru too work in Kasargod district.

It has become a routine for the labourers of both the States living in border villages to daily assemble at the check post in the morning and return after the authorities refuse free movement.

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News Network
May 5,2020

Bengaluru, May 5: The Karnataka government is planning to maintain a Health database of its citizens in the backdrop of experience gained from the COVID-19 pandemic, Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said on Tuesday.

In a statement issued here, he said a “Health Register” will be maintained to keep track of all health issues of the people and the project will be implemented first in Chikkaballapur district on an experimental basis.

“COVID-19 has provided enough experience for all of us and therefore, there is a need to maintain health data of each person. The government will be undertaking a survey using a team of Primary Health Centre officials, Revenue officials, Education department staff and Asha Workers,” the Minister said in a release here.

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News Network
February 4,2020

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs of Government of India today clarified to the Lok Sabha in a written reply that the so called “Love Jihad” is not defined under the extant laws and no such cases have been reported by any central agency.

It was ministry’s formal response to questions about whether the central government is aware of the observation of Kerala High Court that there is no case of Love Jihad in Kerala.

“The term ‘Love Jihad’ is not defined under the extant laws. No such case of ‘Love Jihad’ has been reported by any of the central agencies. However, two cases from Kerala involving interfaith marriages have been investigated by the NIA,” said the reply.

Communal and anti-Muslim political outfits backed by a section of media often use the term “Love Jihad” to accuse Muslims of marrying Hindu and Christian girls and then forcing them to change religion. Dr Hadiya’s conversion was also termed ‘love jihad’ by the BJP and media. The Supreme Court finally ruled that it wasn’t.

In January 2020, an influential Catholic Church in Kerala had said that “love jihad is a reality” and alleged that scores of women from Christian community from the southern state were being lured into the trap of Islamic State and used in terror activities.

The Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had welcomed the Church statement and called for a united fight against ‘Love Jihad’ in Kerala Society.

The response comes weeks after the MHA, responding to an RTI query, said it has "no information" concerning the 'Tukde Tukde Gang' -- a term that has been used a number of times by PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to attack opponents.

The RTI application was filed by activist Saket Gokhle on December 26 last year. In his RTI application, Saket Gokhle said Home Minister "Amit Shah addressed a public event in New Delhi, and in his address said, 'The Tukde Tukde Gang of Delhi needs to be taught a lesson and punished'." Gokhle's RTI asked for details of the 'Tukde Tukde Gang'.

The home ministry, in its reply to Saket Gokhle's RTI application, said, "Ministry of Home Affairs has no information concerning tukde-tukde gang."

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