Kerala man accuses cops of breaking his tooth for questioning vehicle check

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 19: A man has alleged Kerala police personnel punched him on the face breaking his tooth for questioning an 'illegal' vehicle check at Cherthala in Alappuzha district recently. A mobile video, in which policemen were seen forcibly trying to get Ramesh Kammath into their jeep has gone viral on the social media. The visuals were aired by local television channels on Thursday.

In the video, Kammath, a man in his 40s, is seen telling the local people who gathered around him that he was beaten up by the police personnel. However, police rejected the allegations saying his tooth was "artificial".

A government employee, Kammath said the incident happened on Saturday evening while he was on his way back home from office. He said he had only asked the police whether the vehicle inspection, parking the official jeep at a curve that too in a dark area, was against the rules. State DGP Loknath Behera had issued a detailed circular giving strict instructions for vehicle inspection earlier in this month, according to which officers should not stand at curves or busy junctions for inspection.

"As soon as I asked whether it was against the circular of DGP, they got infuriated and began to assault me. A constable beat me on my head, private parts, left eye and face, breaking my tooth. They also tried to drag me into their vehicle when people began to gather around," Kammath told television channels.

He alleged the police personnel had threatened and beaten him up at the police station also and granted him bail only after giving in writing that he had no complaint and was not beaten up. Police had also registered a case against him for interrupting their duty. Kammath, who was earlier reluctant to lodge a formal complaint over the incident, had lodged the complaint with the DGP a few days ago after his colleagues asked him to do so. However, police rejected the allegations and claimed they had not hit him on his tooth.

K M Tomy, Alappuzha Superintendent of Police (SP), told a television channel the vehicle check was conducted in the particular place as it was an accident-prone area. He said a civil police office was suspended in connection with the incident for using 'force' to get Kammath into the police vehicle and further investigation was on.

The officer also said they had medical reports saying the man was not beaten up and his tooth was not lost.

Meanwhile, the Kerala DGP directed the Alappuzha district police chief to conduct a detailed inquiry on the alleged police high-handedness on a two-wheeler rider at Cherthala and initiate disciplinary action against those officials found guilty, an official statement said on Thursday.