Kerala man’s protest against custody death grabs spotlight

A Kerala youth’s 765-day-old lonely sit-in outside the state secretariat, seeking a CBI probe into the alleged custodial death of his brother, turned into a mass movement with social media and glitterati taking up his cause.

On Sunday, thousands converged outside the secretariat to pledge solidarity with Sreejith, and started an online campaign for the probe.

Sreejith’s brother Sreejeeve allegedly died in police custody in May 2014. He was taken into custody in a suspected case of mobile theft and the police later claimed he attempted suicide and later succumbed to injuries from the attempt in a government hospital.

Sreejith however, claimed that his brother was tortured by the police who forced him to drink poison to make it look like a suicide when Sreejeeve’s condition deteriorated.

“There were cuts and bruises all over the body. When I tried to speak to him at the hospital I was not allowed... My brother wanted to tell something...” Sreejith said.

He added that Sreejeeve, who repaired mobile phones for a living, was in love with a girl from the neighbourhood but her parents opposed their relation vehemently. He alleged that one of the uncles of the girl was working at the Parasala (Thiruvananthapuram district) police station and he fabricated a case.

Sreejith added that soon after his brother’s death, he approached the state human rights commission and the state police chief for a detailed probe. Though the family received ₹10 lakh in compensation, no further probe was conducted.

Former chairman of the state police compliance authority Justice Narayana Kurup, who investigated the case, supported Sreejith’s claim. “I examined the case diary in detail. There were many lapses. I strongly feel Sreejeeve died during torture...” he said. Meanwhile the state home department has sent another missive to the Centre requesting a CBI probe into the case.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: