Brutal Assault On Two Malayali Students By Delhi Police
Kerala CM urges Amit Shah to order probe, punish guilty officers
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to order a high-level probe into the alleged brutal assault by Delhi police on two Malayali students of Zakir Hussain College in New Delhi on September 24.
In a letter to Amit Shah, the Kerala chief minister said the students were forced to speak Hindi. "It is unacceptable that the police, who are supposed to protect people from antisocial elements, are engaging in such acts. This would encourage other criminals to harass those who migrate to different states for education and livelihood," he said.
The chief minister urged Shah to initiate stringent action against the police officers concerned if they are found guilty.
Two students Aswanth I and Sudhin K, from Kerala, were allegedly assaulted by policemen near the Red Fort in Delhi, forced to speak Hindi, and mocked for wearing a mundu (dhoti). The incident occurred on September 24, when a group of locals allegedly confronted the students and falsely accused them of theft.
According to Sudhin, when the accusations arose, his friend approached a police constable for help.
Instead of assisting, the cop slapped them and forced them to kneel before the crowd. The police confiscated Aswanth's iPhone and handed it to locals.
When Aswath tried to take back his phone, they were taken to a police booth near the Red Fort. At the booth, the duo was assaulted, coerced into confessing to theft and asked to settle the matter by paying Rs 20,000.
The students were also reportedly assaulted by an ASI, who allegedly removed their lungis and kicked them in the face and private parts with boots. "We have been in Delhi for a month and are not fluent in Hindi. But the cops were in no mood to listen to our pleas," said Sudhin.
The students were eventually allowed to leave after senior police officers arrived at the booth. They sought medical treatment at a local hospital, underwent tests and filed a complaint with the DCP North Office the next day.
The students said they know the names of the two police officers who assaulted them and said they could easily identify the others involved.
