By IANS
Kottayam (Kerala) : The police probe into a cop’s killing in a college campus here last week has lost its credibility after serious lapses due to “some vested interest”, former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy said Monday.
Assistant sub-inspector Elias, 47, was killed Friday when he was hit on his head with a piece of wood during clashes between two rival students’ unions at the Changanacherry Nair Service Society College.
“Soon after the incident, State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that those taken into custody were from the spot of the crime. He also said that a top police official was an eyewitness.
“But later it has come to light the four people who were arrested were not from the spot of the crime but outside the campus, and the so-called top police official who was an eyewitness has denied that. Hence, the credibility of the police has taken a beating,” Chandy told reporters here.
Both students’ unions, affiliated with the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), were equally responsible, he added.
“The government suspended two police constables for roughing up two of those arrested, and today it has come to light that those who were suspended were not present at the time of questioning. This is again a serious lapse,” said Chandy.
“We will wait for some time to see if the authorities correct the wrongs they have done in the handling of the case. If they don’t, we will come out with what our stand is,” added Chandy.
Earlier in the day, a large number of BJP supporters marched to the office of the Kottayam Superintendent of Police demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the killing.