Costodial Death in kerala

Thrissur

Custodial death of an under trial prisoner after brutaltorture in prison Name of victim: Mr. Shaji, aged about 38 years, son of Keshavan,residing at Koyikal Nikarthil house, Kodanthuruthu, Kuthiyathodupost, Cherthala, Alapuzha district, Kerala stateAlleged perpetrator:Mr. Yohannan, Writer, Viyoor Central Prison, Thrissur district,Kerala state, IndiaDate and Place of incident: Between 20 and 22 January 2007 at ViyoorCentral PrisonI am writing to you to express my concern regarding the alleged caseof custodial death of the victim, Mr. Shaji from Kerala state. I aminformed that Shaji, the victim in the case, was an under trialprisoner who was shifted from Kombara Sub Jail in Ernakulam districtto the Viyoor Central Prison on 20 January 2007 due to lack of spacein Kombara prison. I am informed that the Writer at the Viyoorprison, Mr. Yohannan, assaulted Shaji and when Shaji protested hecontinued assaulting him.I am informed that Shaji had filed a written complaint in courtthrough his lawyer when he was produced in court on 22 January 2007,which the court has accepted into records. I am informed that Shajiwas returned to the Viyoor prison on 22 January after his courthearing, but later on the same day night was taken to the ThrissurMedical College where he was declared dead by about 10:00 pm. I amalso informed that the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate stationedat Ernakulam, Mr. Cheriyan Kuriakose, is conducting a judicial inquiryinto the case.I therefore urge you to make sure that the judicial inquiry into thecase is completed at the earliest, pending which the allegedperpetrator Mr. Yohannan be suspended from service. I also urge youto make sure that an interim compensation be paid to the victim'sfamily and that the perpetrator be brought to trial at the earliestconvenience. I also urge you to take appropriate measures to pressurethe Government of India to ratify the United NationsInternationalConvention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or DegradingTreatment or Punishment without any delay and make torture a crime punishable in India.I look forward to your immediate and sincere action to this case.

Please Respond Urgently :R.PrakashConvenor,NCDHR-Ker