Inmates confirm torture at Yoga centre in Tripunithura

Kochi: The  inmates of  the controversial yoga centre in Tripunithura have  corroborated  the complaint of a 28-year- old woman that she was detained and tortured there for nearly a month. A Kannur-based ayurveda doctor, Shweta Haridas, had complained that  her parents had made her join the centre  at Kandanad.  But there she faced “physical and mental harassment” to abandon her marriage to a Christian man, she said.

“The primary probe has found that the allegations are prima facie true as other inmates have seen the woman getting thrashed by three women staffers of the centre. Sreejesh, a staff  member who was arrested the other day, was also present there when the assault happened,” a top police officer said. However, the police said no other inmates had raised  a similar complaint. “Most of them have gone back  with their parents and said they had come to learn yoga and counselling and didn’t face similar treatment. We’re also waiting for the parents of five inmates hailing from other states to reach here and take them back,” the officer said.

The police had registered a case against Manoj, director of the yoga centre, Sujith from Perumbalam, Sreejesh, Smitha and Lekshmi  under  various charges, including wrongful confinement, kidnapping and outraging the modesty of the women.  Sreejesh was arrested the other day while the four others were absconding.