Vadakara police blamed for custodial death of 42-year-old

Kozhikode: A suspected custodial death has been reported from Vadakara police station in Kozhikode district. A 42-year-old native of Kalleri has become the victim of the alleged police brutality.

The deceased, Sajeevan, was taken into custody by the police over a vehicle accident case on Thursday night. He was later found lying unconscious on the plot of the police station around 2.30 am by autorickshaw drivers.

Sajeevan apparently collapsed while in the police station. Reports say he was drunk and was beaten by the cops, including the Sub-Inspector.

Sajeevan breathed his last at the Vadakara Cooperative Hospital half an hour after he was brought there by the drivers. He succumbed at the hospital in the wee hours of Friday. 

His relatives alleged that he was brutally beaten up by the police at the station.   

Earlier, Sajeevan was taken into police custody after a dispute between riders of two cars. Sajeevan's car reportedly hit another car while crossing the traffic signal at Theruvathu area. 

The autorickshaw drivers alleged that the police did not take any steps to save his life even after seeing him lying unconscious inside the police station compound.  

But the police claimed that his death did not occur while in police custody.  

According to the police, he was let off after questioning and he might have collapsed later. 

However, the relatives alleged that though Sajeevan complained of chest pain while in police custody, the police subjected him to brutal physical torture. 

 His body was later shifted to the mortuary of the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.