In a case of alleged police assault, two youths from Ambalapuzha sustained injuries after being verbally and physically assaulted by police personnel late Saturday night. The youths, Shinas Navas (18) and Mohammed Ashique (18), natives of Vandanam, were returning after selling ice creams at a temple festival in Haripad when the incident occurred.

According to Shinas’s mother, Sabitha Navas, police chased the duo and rammed their vehicle into the boys’ bike. “They were hit on their backs before they could answer any questions. Their slippers broke, their legs were bleeding, and they were abused before being let go,” she said.

She further alleged that the police questioned the boys on suspicion of involvement in a bank robbery in the area. “They took money from their pockets, which they had earned from selling ice cream, and asked if it was stolen,” she said. Both youths sustained injuries to their legs and were admitted to Vandanam Medical College Hospital.

Sabitha said Ashique’s father runs an ice cream shop and that both boys work part-time after their classes at Vandanam Model UP School to meet personal expenses such as mobile recharges and bike costs. “They just completed their exams. Shinas is also studying an aviation course," she said.

Sabitha added that Shinas’s father died when he was young and that she is unable to work due to heart issues. “He worked odd jobs here and there so as not to inconvenience me. I raised three kids alone, so he has seen all my hardships. Now the boys are traumatised to go out and work,” she said.

Questioning the police action, she said, “If they had done anything illegal, why were we not informed? Why were they let off immediately?” She also alleged that the police began recording on camera only after realising that the boys were innocent, by which time the assault had already taken place.

She said a complaint has been filed with the Ambalapuzha police station and the DySP, and that the family plans to approach the SP as no follow-up action has been taken.

Meanwhile, the Ambalapuzha SHO denied the allegations and said the boys had acted suspiciously. “We were investigating a robbery case involving two youths. When we asked them to stop, they did not comply, so we chased them. They then crashed into our vehicle,” he said. “We questioned them and let them go,” the officer added, stating that no FIR has been registered so far.