Kerala | Dalit woman alleges custodial harassment in police station; Accuses CMO of inaction

Vartha Bharati | 19-05-2025 | 13:56:00 IST

Representational image (Manorama)

Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): A 39-year-old Dalit woman has made serious allegations against the police and the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), citing a theft case registered against her that was later proven to be false.

The woman, a local domestic help, alleged that she had to suffer acute mental torture and harassment in the custody of police in Peroorkada station here last month after the owner of the house, where she was working, lodged a complaint that she had stolen their gold chain.

While revealing her harrowing experience to the television channels here on Monday, the woman said that though she handed over a complaint in this regard to CM's political secretary P Sasi with the help of a lawyer, he didn't even bother to read it and asked her to approach the court.

Following the Dalit woman's allegations, the opposition Congress intensely criticised the CMO and demanded stern action against the errant police officers at Peroorkkada station.

According to the woman, she received a phone call from the Peroorkkada Station on April 23 evening asking her to reach there at the earliest.

At the station, the owner of the house and her daughter were present, and police told the woman that their chain was missing and asked her to give it back.

"I told them a thousand times that I didn't steal the chain, but they didn't trust me. A woman police officer took me to a room and removed my top and examined me. I was then taken to my house, where they searched. I was not allowed to talk to my family even over the phone," she alleged.

She said an FIR was lodged against her, and she was kept at the station the whole night, and they even questioned her in the early hours of the next day.

"I was not given food or water... not allowed to sleep. When I asked for drinking water, a police officer told me to go to the toilet and drink. They continuously used objectionable language and even threatened to implicate my teenage daughters in a police case if I did not confess to the theft," the weeping woman further charged.

She said the next morning, the house owner and her daughter were seen rushing to the police station again and held talks with the circle inspector for some time.

"They later told me that they were giving forgiveness to me. Police also told me that I could go home, as the house owner had no complaint. But a policeman later told my husband that the house owner found the missing gold chain from their house itself," she added.

Besides the CMO, she lodged a complaint with the state DGP and the state SC/ ST Commission seeking action against the police personnel for their alleged inhuman custodial treatment.

"I went to Secretariat and handed over a complaint to a sir at the chief minister's office. My advocate told me that he was P Sasi, the CM's political secretary. He didn't read the complaint...just put it there," she said.

The woman further said Sasi told her that the house owner would naturally give a complaint if their chain was missing, and police would act.

"He told me that all these matters should be said in court," she told the media.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan demanded a departmental enquiry and stern action against the errant police officers of the Peroorkkada station for mentally torturing the Dalit woman for over 20 hours over a false case.

In a statement, Satheesan said the CM and the Home Department could not justify the incident as an isolated issue.

Senior Congress leader and former Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan termed the incident as "inhuman" and said the progressive society cannot accept this at any cost.

"Stringent action should be taken against the injustice and harassment suffered by the Dalit woman," he told the media on Monday.

Congress sources said KPCC Chief Sunny Joseph would visit the Dalit woman's house in Chullimanoor here later in the day.

The Chief Minister's Office, however, rejected the allegations, stating that the Political Secretary had received her complaint and immediately directed the police to take action.

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Focus on Vijay's poll promises; TVK assured 8 gm gold for women

04-05-2026 ¦ 04-05-2026 IST

Vijay | PTI

Chennai (PTI): As the new-entrant TVK appears likely to emerge as the single largest party and form the government, the focus has now turned into actor-politician Vijay's poll promises, including 8 gm gold for marriage, which is worth about Rs 14,000 per gram (22 carat).

Vijay's assurances in the party manifesto include Rs 2,500 monthly assistance for women below 60 years, 8 gm gold for marriage and six free cooking gas cylinders a year, per family.

By 3 PM, as per EC data, Vijay's party is leading in 105 constituencies and it falls short of a simple majority (118) in the Assembly.

The actor-turned-politician also assured a quality silk saree in addition to gold for indigent brides and interest-free loans up to Rs 5 lakh for women-run SHGs. He assured corruption-free good governance if voted to power in his maiden electoral fight.

The manifesto also laid importance on education. To prevent school dropouts, mothers or guardians of children studying in government and state-aided schools will receive Rs 15,000 annually.

Vijay promised 100 special residential schools named after iconic leader K Kamaraj, credited with revolutionising education in the state, and higher education loans of up to Rs 20 lakh. The TVK founder also assured AI Ministry, AI University and AI City.

The manifesto placed a strong emphasis on agrarian welfare, too.

The party promised a full waiver of agricultural cooperative crop loans for farmers owning less than five acres of land, while those holding more than five acres will receive a 50 per cent waiver. Additionally, the party promised a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 3,500 per quintal for paddy and Rs 4,500 per tonne for sugarcane.

Addressing youth unemployment, Vijay pledged to create five lakh new government jobs and offer as many stipendiary internships. Unemployed graduates will be provided a monthly aid of up to Rs 4,000. For government employees, the party assured consideration of the Old Pension Scheme and the regularisation of contract workers, including nurses.

On the health front, he promised a drug-free Tamil Nadu. Vijay also committed to modernising hospitals, providing free annual health checkups, and introducing a Rs 25 lakh family health insurance scheme.

The manifesto also included a Rs 3,000 monthly pension for the elderly and the differently-abled, 200 units of free power, patta (land deed) regularisation, and 100 per cent piped drinking water supply for all households.

Some of the policy intereventions promised by TVK include a legal guarantee to provide essential government services like community certificates, and land pattas, within a strictly specified timeframe.

Vijay also promised doorstep delivery of governance by implementing a system to deliver services, such as ration supplies, directly to the people. He also assured that ease of doing business will be paramount to his government and promised a strict guarantee that business licences will be issued within 21 days.

Elections to 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu were held on April 23.