Kochi, Dec 18 Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to take urgent action after CCTV footage surfaced showing a pregnant woman being assaulted by a police officer inside the Ernakulam North Police Station.
Acting on the Chief Minister's instructions, the DGP sought an immediate report from the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) in charge of law and order, signalling the possibility of disciplinary action against the officer involved.
The visuals, released following directions from the Kerala High Court, show Prathap Chandran -- who was the Station House Officer (SHO) of Ernakulam North Police Station at the time and is now posted as SHO at Aroor -- slapping the woman, identified as Shaimol N.J., and pushing her by grabbing her chest.
The incident occurred on June 20, 2024, but the footage came into the public domain only now, after what the complainant described as a year-long legal battle.
Shaimol, who was pregnant at the time, had gone to the police station after her husband was taken into custody for filming police personnel allegedly assaulting people in a public place.
According to the complaint, instead of addressing her grievance, the officer assaulted her inside the station, even as other police personnel, including women officers, looked on.
The CCTV footage also shows other officers intervening and restraining the SHO after the assault.
Following the incident, the woman alleged that the police attempted to cover up the episode and registered false cases against her, including charges of attacking the police station.
While the police had earlier denied the allegations and claimed they were trying to defuse the situation, Shaimol and her husband persisted with their demand for the release of the CCTV footage, eventually approaching the court.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Thursday described the visuals as further proof of “extreme brutality” within the Kerala Police, alleging a pattern of custodial violence and misuse of power.
He said the woman was assaulted for questioning what he termed the framing of her husband in a false case and accused the government of allowing a culture of impunity to flourish within the force.
Satheesan also linked the incident to earlier allegations of police excesses in other parts of the state, arguing that many such cases may have gone unreported due to lack of evidence.
Despite the gravity of the footage, no action has so far been taken against the officer based solely on the visuals.
With the Chief Minister now stepping in and the police leadership ordered to submit an urgent report, the case has once again brought the spotlight on allegations of custodial violence, police accountability, and the effectiveness of institutional safeguards meant to protect citizens -- particularly women -- from abuse of authority.
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