INDIA: Custodial torture and death of Mr. Hafeel by the police at the Perumbadappu Police Station in Kerala

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a man named Mr. Hafeel (24) was arbitrarily arrested on 24 February 2004 by officers from the Perumbadappu Police Station and thereafter tortured to death within two hours of his arrest. It is reported that no case against the perpetrators has been registered yet and the Sub Inspector of Police responsible for the murder is obstructing access to the case records at the police station. Please send a letter to the local authorities and request them to correct this matter immediately. 

Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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DETAILED INFORMATION:

Name of the victim: Mr. Hafeel, 24, son of Veliyankodu Mukriyath Mammu Musliar of Thrissur District, Kerala State, India
Alleged perpetrators: Sub Inspector of Police at the Perumbadappu Police Station, Malappuram District, Kerala State, India
Date of incident: 24 February 2004

Case details:

On 24 February 2004, Mr. Hafeel was arrested by officers from the Perumbadappu Police Station where he was tortured to death by the Sub Inspector of the Police within two hours of his arrest. 

On 24 February 2004, there was a festival at the local temple and Mr. Hafeel and his friends were on their way to watch the festival. Near the festival place some people started fighting and someone telephoned for police assistance. The police party led by the Sub Inspector of Police arrived at the scene and rounded up several persons who involved in fighting as well as many onlookers. Mr. Hafeel, as he was passing through the crowd, was also rounded up by the Sub Inspector. Then inspector immediately punched and assaulted the victim severely. After the assault, Mr. Hafeel was thrown into the police jeep and taken to the Perumbadappu Police Station.

At the police station, the Sub Inspector of Police again assaulted Mr. Hafeel severely. Due to the continuous violent attack, Mr. Hafeel fell unconscious. Fearing that he might die, the police immediately took Mr. Hafeel to the nearby government hospital at Vadakkekadu. Since there were no facilities to treat him, Mr. Hafeel was referred to go to the Kunnumkulam Government Hospital. Before he reached the hospital, the victim succumbed to the injuries. He was declared dead by the doctor at the Kunnumkulam Government hospital. According to his family, Mr. Hafeel was a healthy person and had no history of serious ailment prior to the arrest.

Meanwhile, the President of the local Panchayath, Mr. K. Veerankutty, who knew about the arrest of the victim, rushed to the Perumbadappu Police Station to see the victim. However, the police did not permit him to see the victim and they informed him that unless there was prior permission from the Circle Inspector, he would not be allowed to meet Mr. Hafeel. At that time, Mr. Hafeel was unconscious and had already been sent to the hospital.

The death of the victim occurred within two hours after the arrest. When the body of the victim was brought to the Royal Hospital at Kunnumkulam for an inquest, a large crowd gathered in front of the hospital. Fearing the situation would worsen, the Circle Inspector from Ponnani police station came to the spot. The crowd demanded that the police from the Perumbadappu police station and Ponnani police station must be kept away from the inquest proceedings. The Sub Divisional Magistrate Mrs. A Parvathy, who was present at the hospital to prepare the inquest, feared the people would turn violent and ordered the inquest to be conducted in the absence of the police from the Perumbadappu and Ponnani Police Stations. According to the Magistrate’s order, police from the Kunnumkulam Police Station were summoned during the time the inquest was held. The body was sent to the Thrissur Medical College for forensic examination.