Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 8 (PTI) Leader of opposition in the Keralam Assembly Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday condemned the recent death of a young man, allegedly after being beaten by police officers near Chirayinkeezhu here, and said a “state of barbarism” is unfolding under the Congress-led UDF rule.
The former Keralam CM claimed in a Facebook post that the police, which is meant to maintain law and order, was turning into a “band of killers”.
The veteran CPI(M) leader claimed that the young man, Saji, was mercilessly beaten by five police officers on October 2 for the sole ‘offense’ of questioning the cruelty they allegedly inflicted upon another person.
Saji had died three days later from the injuries suffered in the assault, the Marxist veteran said.
He demanded that a murder case must be registered against all the police personnel involved in the incident, and all of them must be arrested immediately.
Vijayan called for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged political interventions that attempted to hush up the incident.
He said that no one should harbor the illusion that the incident can be covered up under the protection of the government.
“The people will stand united in a strong agitation until Saji’s family receives justice and the guilty police officers are punished,” he said.
The LoP said that Saji’s wife’s query about whether the police have the authority to beat someone to death “burns the heart of the state”.
“The Home Department of the UDF government is actively abetting the police, effectively acting as accomplices to criminals.”
“The recent atrocities and threats committed by the police against ordinary citizens and dissenting voices are not isolated incidents; rather, they are a reflection of the government’s own policy,” Vijayan alleged.
He also accused the UDF leadership of trying to “settle” the matter and termed it as “utterly shameful”.
He contended that those duty-bound to uphold justice are instead trying to deny it.
Vijayan also claimed that the elected representatives of the area have been indifferent to Saji’s family’s plight. PTI HMP ROH
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