Custodial harassment: case registered against police officers and former employers of domestic worker

The Thiruvananthapuram City Police have registered a case in connection with the alleged custodial harassment of a Dalit woman at the Peroorkada police station after being falsely accused of theft three months ago.

The Peroorkada police registered the case based on a complaint by Nedumangad native Bindhu R., a domestic worker, against her former employer Omana Daniel, her daughter Nisha, and sub-inspector Prasad S.G. and assistant sub-inspector Prasannakumar K.S., who were suspended in connection with the controversy.

SC/ST panel’s intervention

The complaint follows the intervention of the Kerala State Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Commission who probed allegations of caste-based discrimination and police misconduct.

The First Information Report includes serious charges, including giving false statements, wrongful confinement and caste-based harassment. It also states that the police officers failed to properly investigate before registering the original complaint.

The complainant was falsely accused of stealing a gold chain by Ms. Daniel and her daughter. Ms. Bindhu was taken into custody without prior notice on April 23 and held overnight at the Peroorkada police station, where she was reportedly harassed by the officers.

‘Verbally abused’

The complainant alleged that the officers verbally abused and mentally tortured her during the illegal detention, which extended until noon the next day. The gold chain was later recovered from the complainant’s house, proving the theft accusation baseless.

The incident sparked widespread outrage, prompting an internal inquiry led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Cantonment. The probe found that the officers involved had acted beyond their authority.

The case is presently being investigated by a Crime Branch team, led by Pathanamthitta Crime Branch DySP K.A. Vidyadharan in accordance with directions by the Kerala State Human Rights Commission. The investigation team is expected to submit its report this week.