Usman was taken to hospital only three hours later, that too after a huge, angry crowd gathered at the station at night and the local MLA intervened. Aluva: The police officers involved in the assault of a 38-year-old NRI at Edathala here have been transferred out.
The officers, including an assistant sub inspector (ASI), have been shifted to the Armed Reserve camp and an internal inquiry has been ordered against the sub inspector (SI).
Usman, from Kunchattukara, was beaten up by the policemen in a scuffle after his scooter was hit by the car they were travelling.
The cops, in a car owned by Edathala sub-inspector G Arun, had hit Usman's bike at Kunchattukara junction around 5.30 pm on Tuesday.
Usman had protested and the irate policemen bashed him up in full public view. The locals who were witness to the assault said that the police were ruthless and acted like 'goons'.
The policemen did not stop at assaulting the man, they dragged him into the car and drove away.
The locals, who rushed to the police station to report the abduction were surprised to see the car of the 'abductors' parked outside the Edathala station.
It was only then that they realised that the 'abductors' were police personnel.
Usman tortured?
Usman was allegedly further tortured inside the police station.
A seriously injured Usman was taken to the hospital only three hours later, that too after a huge, angry crowd gathered at the station and the local MLA intervened.
A police attempt to produce Usman before a magistrate instead of taking him to a hospital also drew public fury.
Usman bore marks of torture on the face and other parts of the body. He has fractures on the face and backbone and underwent a surgery.
The local people say Usman, who came home on a two-month leave, was riding his bike home after purchasing goodies for Iftar.
After the speeding car knocked him down, Usman got up and shouted at the occupants of the car, thinking that they were a gang of goons.
The public did not have any idea that those who took Usman were cops. Once they reached the station, they found that the car belonged to the SI.
The police threatened Usman's kin and friends, and showered abuses. Even Anwar Sadat, the Aluva MLA, was threatened by a cop.
Usman was taken to a hospital only after Sadat contacted top police officers and deputy superintendent of police K B Prafulla Chandran reached the station.
Usman charged for 'obstructing duty'
The police said those in the car, policemen Afsal, Jaleel and Pushparaj, were returning after taking into custody an accused in the POCSO case at Muthirakkattumukal. They accused Usman of having blocked the road with the bike after the car hit it. They also alleged that he beat up civil police officer Afsal.
The police claimed Usman was booked for preventing the police from carrying out their duty and for assaulting Afsal.
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