more-in M.P. Dinesh, Commissioner of Police, Kochi city on Thursday launched a probe into the alleged custodial torture of a youth by officers of the Kalamassery police station three days ago. Report to be submitted “The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Thrikkakara has been directed to look into the allegations by the aggrieved person and submit a report within 48 hours. Based on the findings, action will be initiated against the accused officers,” said Mr. Dinesh. The case pertains to the alleged custodial torture of Jayaraj Joseph, a 28-year-old physical trainer from Puthencruz, at the Kalamassery police station on July 16 midnight. The complainant had come to the station seeking the release of two of his friends who were involved in a fracas inside a shopping mall at Edappally. He, however, picked up an argument with Station House Officer E.V. Shibu, following which the police allegedly subjected him to brutal assault and booked him for disrupting government servants from discharging their duty. The next day, he got himself admitted to the Government Medical College at Kalamassery, alleging custodial torture. The police, on the other hand, maintained that Jayaraj had slapped the SHO and he was an accused in several criminal cases. Govt. criticised Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday visited the victim at the medical college here and demanded stern action against the accused officers. The episode showed that the Chief Minister had no control over the entire police force and there was an urgent need to rectify the situation, he said. “The situation has become so bad that the commoner dreads the thought of entering a police station to file a complaint. This is a very serious issue and the State government cannot go on like this,” he said.

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