Kozhikode: Three police officers have been suspended pending inquiry over lapses in the incident that led to the death of a 42-year-old man who was taken into police custody regarding a road accident.
A sub-inspector, an assistant SI and a civil police officer of Vadakara police station were suspended on Friday by Kannur Range DIG Rahul R Nair, based on a report submitted to him by the Rural SP over the incident.
"The officers were suspended based on the report filed by the Kozhikode Rural SP. The report prima facie suggests that there were lapses on behalf of the police officers," Nair said.
According to the report, the police officials failed to verify and take a medical report of the deceased and his friends who were drunk.
Meanwhile, the State Human Rights Commission has sought a report from the district police chief.
Relatives and friends of deceased, P P Sajeevan, earlier in the day alleged that he suffered torture while in police custody. Sajeevan, and two of his friends were detained by Vadakara police for causing public nuisance on the road on Thursday.
His friends alleged that even though Sajeevan showed uneasiness at the police station, police refused to help him.
Sajeevan and his friends reportedly had an altercation with a person, after their car was involved in a collision with another vehicle at Theruvath near Vadakara on Thursday night. Police reached the spot and took the trio into custody.
The police have refuted the allegation of custodial death, saying Sajeevan had suffered a heart attack.
"He and his friends and their car were brought to the station around midnight. They were drunk and one could not even stand up. A case was registered for drunken driving and they were released without allowing them to drive," Vatakara SHO, Vijeesh, had said earlier in the day.
On the way home, Sajeevan had experienced some health issues, police claimed, adding that he was then rushed to a nearby hospital, but could not be saved.
Sajeevan had suffered a massive cardiac arrest, the SHO quoted the government doctor as saying.
The DYFI, the youth wing of the ruling CPI(M), and the locals took out a march to the police station protesting against the alleged police inaction.
(With inputs from PTI)
