Thiruvananthapuram: Three police personnel have been placed under suspension for providing unauthorised facilities for Kodi Suni, the convict in the T P Chandresekharan murder case, during a train journey from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur.
Suni, who is now undergoing his sentence at the Central Prison, Poojappura, in the state capital, was being taken to Kannur along with two other accused for being presented before a court there in connection with some other cases when the policemen, who were doing escort duty, went out of the way to make his trip comfortable.
The police officers suspended are Grade SI at Nandavanam Armed Police Camp Joykutty, Ranjith and Prakash. The action is based on a report from the Special Branch, Kannur. City Police Commissioner Balram Kumar Upadhyaya confirmed the suspensions.
The bash
Suni's aide and the other convicts had arrived in Thiruvananthapuram from Kannur to accompany them during the trip. All the convicts were already drunk at the start of the journey itself, says the Special Branch report.
Their liquor and food stocks were replenished at Alappuzha and Thrissur railway stations and the liquor was consumed in the lavatory of the train compartment. At some stations, the convicts even visited the air-conditioned retiring room to drink. The police personnel escorting them too were served food by the convicts.
Suni and the other convicts did not allow the police to handcuff or sit near them. In fact, they travelled posing as normal passengers.
Law unto himself
According to the Special Branch, Suni was regularly travelling to Kannur and back to Thiruvananthapuram in this manner.
During an earlier trip, a head constable who had questioned Suni’s actions was verbally abused in front of his colleagues and an attempt was made to manhandle him when the train reached Kannur. Moreover, over 50 CPM workers and others would join Suni in Kannur while he travelled to the court and provided all facilities for him.
In case the escorting policemen tried to prevent these illegal activities, the CPM secretary or top police officers would intervene in the matter.
