Youth, families allege assault by police in Alappuzha; cops deny charge

Alappuzha (Kerala), Apr 20 (PTI) Two youngsters and their families have filed a complaint alleging they were physically assaulted and verbally abused by police at Thottapally here.

The complaint was submitted to the Ambalapuzha Deputy Superintendent of Police by Vandanam natives Ashique and his friend Shinas.

They alleged that officials of the Ambalapuzha police hit their motorcycle and then assaulted them, calling them thieves, on April 18.

Ashique’s father runs an ice-cream business, and during the school vacation he assisted him.

As part of this, Ashique and Shinas were returning after selling ice cream at a temple festival on April 18.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Shinas said that while returning from work, a police vehicle overtook their

motorcycle and boxed them in near the road median.

“In the impact, our legs were jammed between the motorcycle and the divider. When we cried in pain, they claimed we were acting. They alleged that we had robbed a bank,” Shinas said.

He also alleged that the police took money from their pockets.

“One officer hit me on the back, and they verbally abused us. We were returning after our ice-cream business with the money,” he said.

Ashique alleged that police took Rs 15,000 from his pocket and refused to listen even after he explained it was business earnings.

“One policeman, after seeing gloves in my pocket, believed our version. But others refused to hear us,” he said.

Ashique said he called his parents, who arrived at the scene and took them to a hospital.

Both sustained injuries to their legs, and their motorcycle was damaged.

The parents alleged that police personnel, after returning the money, left the scene without attending to the injured.

“We have filed a complaint with the Ambalapuzha DySP. We will also submit petitions to the Alappuzha District Police Chief and the State Police Chief,” a parent said.

However, an official at Ambalapuzha police station denied the allegations, stating that no such incident occurred.

Police said that the motorcycle of the duo hit the police vehicle while they were being intercepted after allegedly refusing to stop during a check.

Police also released a video recording of the incident, claiming that the youngsters were not assaulted.

Officials at the Ambalapuzha DYSP office said that a fact-finding inquiry has been launched into the incident, and both youngsters will be heard soon. PTI TBA TBA ROH