3 arrested Kerala cops say made scapegoats in custodial death case

The three Kerala policemen arrested for the alleged custodial death of a youth have claimed that they were targeted and made scapegoats in the case.

In a video clipping shared with the media on Thursday, the three police officials can be seen and heard saying that they have been targeted to save others and that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and DGP Loknath Behra should take appropriate action in the case.

Jithin Raj, Santhosh Kumar and Sumesh, attached to the Armed Police camp, were part of a special squad of Ernakulam Police. They were arrested on Wednesday after several hours of interrogation.

Sreejith, 26, who hailed from Varapuzha near here, was arrested on April 7 after 56-year-old Vasudevan hanged himself when a group of men barged into his house and threatened him.

The special squad took Sreejith and nine others into custody and charged them with abetment to suicide and rioting. Subsequently, Sreejith was taken to a hospital where he died on April 9.

The DGP assured of looking into the video clipping and that he had directed the team led by Inspector General of Police S. Sreejith to ensure that an impartial probe was conducted.

Informed sources said more arrests were likely in the case.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ramesh Chennithala told the media in Delhi on Thursday that Chief Minister Vijayan should hand over the home portfolio to someone else as he had proved to be inefficient in handling it.

"He has been an abject failure since police is having a free run, with no one to control them... a case should be registered against (police officer) A.V. George and there is suspicion behind the arrest of the three policemen," the Congress leader said.

The state government earlier suspended the circle inspector, sub inspector and two other policemen of the Varapuzha police station.

--IANS

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