In a shocking case of police overreach, a 19-year old Kollam native was grievously injured after an officer flung a baton at him for not stopping for a vehicle inspection, making the youth fall off his motorcycle and onto the road.
The incident took place on the Kadakkal main road in Kollam at 12 pm on Thursday. According to the police, the 19-year old victim, identified as Siddique, was attempting to evade a police check on the main road when a police officer on duty flung his baton at the moving bike. This led to Siddique losing control of his bike, crashing into an Innova and toppling off his two-wheeler onto the road. According to reports, Siddique was being stopped by police for not wearing a helmet.
On sustaining injuries on his right hand and forehead, Siddique was rushed to the Kadakkal Taluk Hospital by the officers.
Speaking to TNM on action taken against the police recklessness, Kollam Rural SP Harishankar confirmed that civil police officer Chandramohan, who was found to have flung the baton at the bike, has been suspended.
“A detailed inquiry has been ordered and the DYSP of Punalur has been tasked with looking into the incident,” he said.
According to reports, state DGP Loknath Behera has promised strict action against those found to be responsible for the incident.
“CCTV cameras fixed to the police vehicle during the check are being perused to identify the officers involved in the incident,” DYSP Harishankar added.
Meanwhile, the 19-year old youth was shifted to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital by his relatives. While reports have quoted Siddique’s father accusing the police of abandoning his son in the hospital, DYSP Harishankar confirmed that that the officers had followed the emergency rescue operation protocol without any hitches and admitted him to the casualty wing of the Taluk department.
Incidentally, the police excess comes barely a week after the Kerala High Court had observed that a two-wheeler rider must not be chased down by police officers to book him for not wearing a helmet.
Considering a bail application on November 21, Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V said, “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 to peril.”
The bail application was submitted by a man who was accused of dashing down a police officer who signalled him to stop his bike as he was not wearing a helmet.
Granting the bail, the court also condemned the antiquated methods used by police officers and Motor Vehicles Department for nabbing those violating traffic offences.
"It is high time that equipment like digital camera, traffic surveillance camera, mobile phone cameras over even hand held video cameras are used by police officers as well as other officers to detect traffic offences. If such methods are used, there will be foolproof evidence to initiate legal action against the offender,” the judge observed.
He also added that the police officers or Motor Vehicles Inspector are only supposed to carry out vehicle checks in “pre-announced and well marked fixed points,” and not in the middle of the road.
“The objective is not to catch people by surprise but to educate the people in safety habits,” the judge had further added.