Police accused of torturing tribal youth

Mangalore Today News Network

Belthangady, Apr 18: Police department stands accused of using coercive tactics to evict tribals from the forest in support of the government’s Kudremudh National Park (KNP) project. Allegedly, the Anti Naxal Force (ANF) and police officials mentally and physically tortured a tribal youth for refusing to give up his land for the project. 

The victim is Poovappa Malekudiya (32) of Anjarottu in Kuthlur Village of Naravi Gram Panchayat, Belthangady. He informed journalists that the police and ANF officials picked him up, took him to an isolated spot, and subjected him to electric shocks and severe beatings. He asserted that he was tortured for his refusal to give up his land for the project. His advocate Shivakumar said that a complaint will be submitted to the Human Rights Commission. 

Police records show that Poovappa is one of the 11 supporters of Naxal activity in Kuthlur. The list also carries the names of Dinakara and Vasantha Malekudiya, who were killed in an encounter with the ANF a few years back. Vasantha’s sister, Sundari, is currently missing and the police have launched a manhunt for her, believing that she has joined the Naxals after her brother’s death. 

Gopal B Hosur, the IGP of western range, said that the police might have picked up Poovappa for interrogation, but denied that he might have been tortured. He also denied that the police are using coercive tactics to evict tribals for the KNP project. 

There are 42 Malekudiya families in Kuthlur and 36 of them are not ready to give up their land for the KNP project.