Police Refuse to Accept Complaint, Girl Approaches IGP, SP Clarifies
Mangaluru: Members of the Human Rights Universal Foundation held a press meet at Hotel Woodlands here, on June 2.
Addressing the mediapersons, Human Rights Universal Foundation in-charge Jayashree Bhat said, “I had gone to the SP’s office along with a girl in connection to police atrocities on her, but I was shocked to see the attitude of SP Annamalai, who yelled at me and said, “How dare you file a complaint against my staff”. This is the first time I saw him shouting at a woman who went to seek justice for a victim of police atrocities.”
Speaking to the mediapersons, the girl Suchithra said, “On May 20, at around 4:30 to 5 pm, my brother Sudheer was assaulted by Prahlad, Prashanth, Abhishek, Shekhar and Ashok on the Brahmavar-Barkur Road. We admitted Sudheer to Pranav Hospital for treatment. After treatment in the ICU, he was shifted to the general ward. At around 8:30 pm, the police came to the hospital to take his statement. The police constable, who came there, yelled at me and asked my brother to sign a paper which was in favour of the attackers. When my brother refused to sign the paper, PC Taranath slapped my brother and threatened that Sub Inspector Madhusudhan would not spare him if he did not sign the paper.”
She further said, “When I told the police constable that I will write the complaint myself, he said, “Who are you to write the complaint?” and pulled my hand and also pushed me. He also threatened to file a false case against me if I complained about him. All these events were being watched by the other patients in the general ward and they were shocked to see the behaviour of a police constable. When I complained to Human Rights members, they called the Brahmavar police station. Later, another police constable reached the hospital to take my brother’s statement.”
“On May 21, at around 11:45 am, I went along with the Human Rights in-charge Jayashree Bhat to the Brahmavar police station. At that time, the SI was requesting us to forget about the incident that happened in the hospital. When we went to PSI Madhusudhan, he too misbehaved and abused me using cheap language. When no action was taken in the Brahmavar police station, I along with Jayashree Bhat approached SP Annamalai, but he did not do justice with me. Instead, he shouted at me and said, “I will throw you out from my office, I will file an FIR against you under Section 181 and 209. My department is very honest and I will not allow anyone to file complaints against them”. When no action was taken against the SI and the police constable by the SP, we approached IGP Arun Chakravarthy and handed over a memorandum to him seeking justice.”
District Secretary of HRUF, Sajini Vinay said that nobody has the right to abuse a person when he/she goes to a police station to file a case. “We demand the IGP to take action against SI Madhusudhan and PC Taranath for abusing Suchithra. I hope the IGP will do justice with Suchithra. If she will not get justice, we will approach the interim chairperson of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission Meera Saxena. We are also ready to approach prime minister Modi for justice.”
President of Human Rights Universal Foundation Prashanth PRS was also present.
SP Annamalai Clarifies
When mangalorean.com contacted SP Annamalai to clarify the statement given by Suchithra in Mangaluru, SP Annamalai said that on May 20, PC Taranath had gone to the hospital to take a statement from Sudheer. When the PC found discrepancies in Sudheer’s statement, the PC again asked for correct information about the assault. At that time, Sudheer’s sister Suchithra who was present in the hospital snatched the writing pad from PC Taranath. There was an exchange of words and PC Taranath snatched the writing pad back from Suchithra’s hand. Later, the Brahmavar police station received a call from a member of the Human Rights and on their request, Head Constable Babu Poojary went to the hospital and recorded Sudheer’s statement and a complaint was registered under IPC section 341, 323, 504, 506 and 149. Earlier two assault cases have been filed in Kota Police station against Sudheer.
He further said, “In this case, the police officers and staff have done their duty well. They did not abuse Suchithra. Yes, snatching writing pad from Suchitra was a mistake committed by the police constable and we are investigating it. It is my duty to provide protection to the people and I am doing my duty without fail. At the same time, it is also my duty to protect the rights of the police. As per my knowledge, PC Taranath did not commit any crime nor did he physically abuse Suchithra. Instead of calling a press meet in Udupi, she has organized a press meet in Mangaluru. I also came to know through the media that Suchithra along with the Human Rights members approached the IGP and complained against me and two other police personnel. Since this case affects the reputation of the police department, I have issued a press note in this regard.”
