Malappuram: An action council formed to bring justice to Thamir Jifri, a victim of alleged custodial death, has pointed fingers at the anti-narcotic wing that functions under the Malappuram district police chief.
The council has demanded the dismissal of all the police personnel involved in the case. The members have decided to approach Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to apprise him of the demand.
According to the action council, members of the District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (DANSAF) were in an inebriated state when they arrested Jifri alongside a few others. Jifri died on August 1.
The council further alleged the cops part of the special action force brutally assaulted Jifri in custody.
"The police are trying to save their colleagues by diverting the case and destroying evidence," the council said.
“Malappuram district police chief S Sujith Das mentioned in his press meet post the alleged custodial death that Jifri was involved in two narcotic cases earlier. He tried to divert the case and mislead the public by giving such false statements," said P M Rafeeq, working chairman of the action council.
"The police chief tried to depict it as a narcotic case to save DANSAF team members. We demand a fair inquiry into the issue. The suspension of eight police personnel is not enough; the inspector of police at Tanur is in the know of this excess. We demand the suspension of this officer," Rafeeq said.
“The police chief has faced allegations of fabricating drug cases earlier as well. So we do not believe a fair inquiry is possible as long as he serves as the chief of Malappuram police. We demand the suspension of Sujith Das to ensure a fair inquiry," said Yasar Ollakkal, vice chairman of the council. They have demanded Rs 25 lakh as compensation from the state government to the family of the deceased.
