Congress seeks apology from Kerala CM over alleged police assault on pregnant woman

The Congress on Friday stepped up its attack on the Kerala government, demanding that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan apologise for what it described as a grave failure to act on a complaint of police brutality involving a pregnant woman and her family.

Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan alleged that the Chief Minister, who also holds the Home portfolio, had received a complaint in 2024 about the incident but failed to initiate any action, allowing the matter to be suppressed until it reached the courts.

“If the Chief Minister knew about the incident and did nothing, it is a serious dereliction of duty. If he did not know, then it raises questions about the very purpose of holding that office,” Satheesan said, addressing the media in Thiruvananthapuram.

According to Satheesan, the incident exposed what he termed the “true face” of the police functioning under the present government. He claimed that the woman’s husband was taken into custody over a minor issue, detained at a police station and subjected to brutal assault. When the pregnant woman arrived at the station with her children after learning of her husband’s detention, she was allegedly assaulted as well after protesting against the police action.

Calling the episode unprecedented, Satheesan said an instance of a police officer assaulting a pregnant woman who had come to a police station with her children was unheard of in the state. He alleged that the incident came to light only because the matter reached the judiciary, remarking that “not even a fraction of what happens inside police stations ever comes out”.

The Opposition leader demanded a comprehensive investigation into the incident and strict action against all those responsible. He also sought a probe into whether officials from the Chief Minister’s Office or senior police officers intervened to shield the personnel involved.

Satheesan further alleged that police excesses and corruption had become routine under the current administration, claiming that even senior officers were facilitating parole for hardened criminals in exchange for bribes. The Kerala Police, once held in high regard, had been weakened under the present government, he added.

Referring to earlier allegations of police misconduct, including a case involving a Youth Congress leader in Thrissur, Satheesan said assurances given by the Chief Minister on the floor of the Assembly had not been honoured, accusing the CPI(M) and the Chief Minister’s Office of protecting guilty officials.

Meanwhile, the police officer accused of assaulting the pregnant woman has been suspended. The victim has stated that her family will pursue legal remedies, alleging that other police personnel also humiliated her during the incident. The case gained public attention after a video of the alleged assault surfaced and went viral.

With IANS inputs