Kerala: Police hurls lathi to stop evading motorcyclist, leaves him critically injured

A 22-year old has been seriously injured and is in a critical condition after police in Kollam hurled a lathi to stop him from escaping while on a motorbike. The incident took place around noon on Thursday when the victim, Siddiqui, was trying to evade a police check post at Parippally-Madathara road at Kadakkal and a policeman in plain clothes threw his lathi at him leading to the victim losing his balance and falling in front of a moving car. He was left injured and admitted to a government hospital.

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Locals protest, politics heat up

At a time when excessive use of force by the police has been a political talking point, this incident has given fresh ammunition for the opposition attack against CM Pinarayi Vijayan who also heads the home department. Siddiqui has suffered grievous injuries to his head and has been shifted to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. The locals and residents in Kollam staged protests against the police and also blocked the Parippally-Madathara highway to express their ire against the police.

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Kerala HC's previous order

The Kerala High Court, less than 10 days ago, had observed ‘Under no circumstances shall a two-wheeler rider be pursued in a hot chase for booking him for not wearing a helmet as this is likely to put the life of the officer and the traffic offender at peril. Several lives have been lost by these adventurous acts’. The HC had also urged the police to use modern technology available to track and fine traffic offenders and desist from physically interjecting offenders. In this case, even as a senior official was jotting down the registration number, the CPO Chandramohanan hurled his lathi at Siddiqui.

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DSP to head the inquiry, eyewitness accounts

CPO Chandramohanan has been suspended based on prima facie evidence, pending inquiry and the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Punalur has been made in-charge of the investigation into the incident. The video footage from CCTV cameras in the vicinity as well as that from the police vehicle is being scrutinised as evidence. Eyewitnesses claim that the police check post was at a road curve and on spotting the police officers, Siddique tried to flee as he was not wearing a helmet. On spotting this, a policeman in mufti threw his baton at him, causing the victim to lose his balance and fall directly in front of a moving SUV car which caused the grave injuries.

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