Dalit Woman Harassment in Police Station: One More Police Officer Suspended in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Another police officer was suspended in connection with the harassment of a Dalit woman in a police station in Thiruvananthapuram.

Grade ASI Prassana Kumar was suspended from service following allegations that he had misbehaved with the Dalit woman Bindu at the police station. The preliminary probe report submitted by the Assistant Commissioner of Police also corroborated the charges levelled by the Dalit woman. The ASI behaved rudely with the woman and tried to threaten her.

Earlier, Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner Thomson Jose suspended Peroorkada SI Prasad S G, after receiving the preliminary probe report from the city special branch.

Bindu, 39, a resident of Nedumangad, was taken into custody on April 23 on accusations of stealing a gold necklace from the home where she worked as a maid. The sub-inspector and his team ignored her claims of innocence and pleaded to be released. They allegedly used coercive measures against her.

One Omana Daniel, a resident of Ambalamukku, filed the complaint regarding the loss of jewellery.

Although there is a law prohibiting the summoning of women to police stations for questioning at night, the Peroorkada police disregarded this regulation and treated Bindu harshly. She was subjected to a brutal, 20-hour interrogation without even being given water to drink. One of the cops asked her to drink water from the toilet tap, Bindu alleged.

The police even threatened her with implicating her daughters in the case if she did not confess to the theft. The following day, Bindu was released after the missing gold necklace was found in the house.

The preliminary probe revealed serious lapses in how the police handled the case. They failed to undertake basic actions that are required after receiving a complaint. The incident sparked public outrage, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also condemning the incident.