Kerala Police Faces Scrutiny Over Custodial Torture Allegations

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has issued a directive to the state police chief to provide an immediate report on actions taken against a police officer tied to a custodial torture incident at Peechi police station. The commission has requested a response from the Director General of Police (DGP) within a week.

This directive follows a series of custodial torture allegations that have sparked political controversy in Kerala, particularly after CCTV footage from various police stations was released. The commission's member, V Geetha, highlighted human rights violations observed in those CCTV clips from the Peechi station.

The human rights panel noted that it previously sought an explanation from the DGP on May 30, which has yet to be provided. The commission's notice also inquired about any legal barriers to sharing the CCTV visuals publicly and the feasibility of displaying information about human rights complaint channels at police stations.

(With inputs from agencies.)