Tuticorin SP asked to counter plea alleging illegal detention

MADURAI: Tuticorin superintendent of police (SP), Murali Rambha, appeared before the Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Wednesday following its directions in response to a petition which sought interim directions to the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to probe illegal detention of anti-Sterlite protestors in Tuticorin district.
A division bench of Justice K.K.Sasidharan and Justice P.D.Audikesavalu directed the district police chief to file a counter to the claims against the police personnel under him.
The petitioner, S Mohan, joint director of NGO, People’s Watch stated that policemen in the district have been harassing people by detaining them illegally and pointed out specific incidents in his plea.
The petitioner pointed out a recent incident of illegal arrest of a B.Com graduate, K Santosh Raj who was arrested on charges of issuing anti-Sterlite pamphlets near a college in Tuticorin. Raj rose to a short-lived fame when the anti-Sterlite protest was at its peak after a video of him questioning actor Rajnikanth “Who are you?” went viral.
The petitioner, who visited the youth in Palayamkottai prison said that he has been subjected to mental and physical torture by the policemen and sought court direction to have DLSA inquire Raj about the excess in police custody and also pass an interim direction to issue fair and just compensation to him.