Express News Service
KOZHIKODE: Here’s a narrative that bears similarities with the plight of the marginalised communities portrayed within the latest Tamil film ‘Jai Bhim’. A tribal youth from Meenangadi in Wayanad district was arrested final Friday by the Sultan Bathery police in a automobile theft case, which his family allege is a fabricated one.
While the police declare that Deepu, 22, of Athikadavu Paniya tribal colony, was caught fleeing with the stolen automotive, the family assert that he doesn’t even know to trip a bicycle, not to mention drive a automotive. Human rights activists and family are up in arms in opposition to the police, demanding justice for the youth, who’s a each day wage employee. His kin and native residents have additionally lodged a grievance with the district collector. They alleged that the police beat up Deepu and likewise slapped a number of different theft fees on him. He is presently lodged within the district jail at Mananthavady.
“The accused was trying to drive away with the stolen car (KL 05 N 9551) and was spotted by locals in town on November 5. He confessed that he drove the car for 2km,” mentioned Sultan Bathery SHO Benny Okay P. “While recording his statements, he revealed concerning the different thefts he had dedicated. On November 2, he mentioned, he broke right into a home at Meenangadi and took a cell phone and a pair of earrings.
DeepuOn October 30, he stole a motorcycle from Meenangadi whereas in an inebriated situation. Based on his statements, the police performed a search and recovered the cell phone and the stolen bike, 5km away from the place it was reported lacking. He mentioned he threw the earrings in a area and we’re but to seek out them,” mentioned Benny.
Deepu’s mom Leela mentioned her son was at his spouse’s house close to Muthanga from November 3 to five. “On November 5, he came to Meenangadi and left home around 2.30pm saying he was going to Sultan Bathery for some work. Around 10pm, we came to know about his arrest through a neighbour. When we went to the police station to enquire about it, the police beat him in front of us. He was shouting that he was innocent. They didn’t even give him food the whole day,” mentioned Leela. Human rights activist Ammini Okay mentioned the police claimed they knowledgeable Deepu’s mom about his arrest, which was a lie.
Yet to cross-check if youth is aware of driving: Police
“The youth doesn’t know to drive. Then how can they say that he drove the car and tried to steal it? The family saw policemen torturing Deepu and we suspect that the other theft cases slapped on him are also fabricated. We will protest until the truth revealed,” she mentioned. Responding to the allegations, Wayanad district police chief Arvind Sukumar mentioned: “The police discovered Deepu beginning the automotive utilizing the important thing. We are but to cross-check whether or not he is aware of driving.
But he has used one other particular person’s automotive with out permission. His fingerprints match with these collected from the crime scene in the home from the place cell phone and earrings went lacking in Meenangadi.” “Regarding the police beating up the accused, the medical reports reveal he is healthy,” mentioned Arvin Sukumar. Recently, the forest division had suspended a beat forest official for framing a tribal youth who hailed from Kadamkolli colony in Kannankode close to Muthanga, in a false sanda lwo od theft case in September.