| Prisoner on remand dies | |||
|
|||
| Police
said that the detainee, 36-year-old Rajan, who was arrested in an
Excise-related case and lodged in the sub-jail here, was rushed to the
mental hospital at nearby Kuthiravattom after he reported sick early in
the morning. However, he was declared brought dead at the hospital. |
|||
| Injury
marks were noticed on the body of Rajan, who was earlier treated at the
Government Beach Hospital here on Saturday, his brother Padmanabhan
alleged. Protesting Rajan's death, the UDF sought a detailed probe into
the matter. UDF activists did not allow the body to be removed from the
hospital till the district administration and City Police Commissioner
Balram Kumar Upadhyaya intervened. After announcing a relief of Rs
10,000 to the relatives of the dead, the district administration also
ordered a magisterial probe into the death. |
|||
| Police
said Rajan was a habitual drinker and was restless ever since he was
lodged in the jail. However, district Congress committee president M
Veerankutty and Member of Legislative Assembly UC Raman, alleged that
Rajan was taken to hospital only at 5.00 am while doctors had advised
to do so at 2.30 am. |
|||
| They
said that the compensation announced was very meager and a detailed
probe should be held to ascertain the circumstances leading to the
death. |
|||
| Responding
to the reports on the death of the remand prisoner, State Congress
president Ramesh Chennithala demanded a judicial enquiry into the
custodial deaths since the LDF Government assumed office. Talking to
reporters here on Monday, he said that the probe should be conducted by
a sitting judge. |
|||
| "It
is for the first time in the State that district collectors are asked
to furnish reports on custody deaths. This is proof of the easiness
with which the Government was viewing such serious issues," he
remarked. |
|||
| Home
Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had proved he was 'unfit' for the job
with the 'inept' handling of the portfolio in the last two-and-a-half
months, Chennithala alleged. The Home Department was taking such
incidents lightly, while Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan remained a
helpless spectator, he said. |
|||
| The
KPCC president also alleged that many cases of human rights violations
and custodial deaths were being reported from police stations across
the State. |
|||
| The
LDF Government had failed to give protection to the lives and property
of the people. The Congress would launch an agitation against the
Government, the details of which would be worked out at a meeting of
KPCC and DCC office-bearers to be held shortly, he said. |
|||
| On
the State Government's approach paper for the Eleventh Plan,
Chennithala said the LDF had unilaterally drafted the paper without
consulting political parties. The Congress would organise a seminar
here on August 11 on the State's Plan requirements, he added. | |||
Kerala
Probe sought into death of accused
Special Correspondent- the hindu
08/08/06
http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/08/stories/2006080812460400.htm
| UDF calls for 12-hour hartal today |
KOZHIKODE: The death in a police vehicle of Rajan, who was a remand prisoner kept in district jail for alleged involvement in a case registered under Abkari Act, has triggered strong protests and a call for a 12 - hour on Tuesday by the United Democratic Front (UDF).
District Collector A. Jayathilak, responding to the demand for a probe by UDF leaders, has ordered a magisterial inquiry by G. Unnikrishna Pillai, Deputy Collector, into the circumstances that led to Rajan's death. He has also sanctioned a compensation of Rs.10,000 to the family of the victim and promised steps to repair his house.
Though a call for hartal has been given, essential services like newspapers, electricity, hospitals and marriage-related programmes would be exempted from the dawn-to-dusk hartal on Tuesday, UDF district convener M. Veerankutty said.
Rajan, a native of Malayamma near National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Kunnamangalam, was booked in a case in 2003. But he was arrested by an excise inspector in Kunnamangalam range on August 4 and remanded to judicial custody and sent to the district jail.
Rajan, 38, was admitted to district general hospital by the jail authorities on August 5 since he showed symptoms of shivering. He was kept in police cell in the hospital. The police said he became violent and the duty doctor gave him two injunctions after examining him on August 6 around 8 p.m.
City Police Commissioner Balram Kumar Upadhyaya said Rajan again turned violent around 2 a.m. The doctor referred him to the Government Institute of Mental Health at Kuthiravattam. From the jail a warden was sent to escort the prisoner to the mental hospital.
He was reported to be dead when the police ambulance with two police constables and the jail warden reached the institute, hardly 5 km away, around 4.45 a.m.
The doctor of the mental hospital who examined him in the ambulance declared him dead.
Rajan's relatives have demanded an inquiry.
There had been complaints about undue delay in taking Rajan to the institute after the district hospital authorities ordered it to be done.
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"Ours is a battle not for wealth or for power.
It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for the reclamation of human personality."
- Dr BR Ambedkar
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