TN man dies hrs after police questioning

A 36-year-old man, who was questioned by the police in Malappuram district in connection with an altercation at a temple festival, died at a private hospital early on Tuesday. His family members and local activists alleged that he died as a result of police torture, following which two police officers have been suspended.

The victim was identified as Moideenkutty, a native of Kadambode near Pandalur. His family said, he was summoned to the Pandikkad police station around 4pm on Monday in connection with a scuffle at a local temple festival. MP Salim, a local activist, told reporters, “On Monday afternoon, I received a call that Moideenkutty and a few others from my neighbourhood had been summoned by the police. So, I went to the police station to where the police asked me to sit outside. I could hear sounds of him being beaten up. To prevent us from hearing, an officer came and shut the door.”

“After a while, when I went inside, I saw Moideenkutty sitting on the floor as if he had collapsed. He looked tired and weak and couldn’t even speak. The police said he collapsed and immediately took him to a nearby hospital. He was then transferred to another private hospital where he succumbed to his condition this morning,” he added. The activist said, it was a clear case of murder and sought a judicial investigation to find out the real culprits. Salim Alungal, a relative of the victim, said, “Moideenkutty had told the police that he was a heart patient and asked them not to assault him. He also asked them about the crime he is accused of committing. The circle inspector struck him on the face.”