A sub-inspector (SI) in Kerala’s capital has been suspended following allegations of custodial harassment against a Dalit woman who was falsely accused of theft. The action was taken against SI Prasad of Peroorkada police station after the woman, R Bindhu, filed complaints with the Chief Minister, State Police Chief, and the Kerala State SC/ST Commission.
Bindhu, a domestic worker, was reportedly summoned to the station on April 23 after her employer accused her of stealing 2.5 sovereigns of gold, valued at around ₹1.6 lakh. Despite a search yielding no evidence, police registered an FIR and allegedly detained her for nearly 20 hours.
Bindhu stated that she was pressured to confess and subjected to degrading treatment. “Police officers behaved very badly with me. One of them threatened to implicate my daughters and husband. When I asked for water, he told me to drink from the bucket in the bathroom,” she said. She added that she continued to face mistreatment even after the missing gold was recovered from her employer’s home.
The incident has sparked political backlash, with opposition leader VD Satheesan criticizing the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who also serves as the Home Minister. “Even after the complaint was withdrawn, an FIR was filed and the woman was threatened. Is water from the toilet given to those who come to a police station?” he asked.
Satheesan also alleged that Bindhu was dismissed when she sought help from the Chief Minister’s office. “She was insulted again. They told her to go to court. Is this the justice a Dalit woman gets?” he said.
An internal inquiry has been initiated, and the Kerala Police have yet to release a detailed statement.
