Kollam man's death: Police deny torture in custody, but woman's claim puts version under doubt

Kollam, Kerala: A high-level investigation has begun into the death of a 36-year-old man, Siyad, who died in hospital weeks after being detained by the Kundara police. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has officially requested a comprehensive report from the State Police Chief as public anger grows over the incident. Siyad, a resident of Society Mukku, succumbed to his injuries at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital on Friday, having spent his final days in intensive medical care.

The case began on the night of June 16, when police took Siyad into custody from his home. Officers were investigating the disappearance of a 13-year-old boy from the neighbourhood and took Siyad in for questioning in front of his wife and children. Although he was released the following morning after the missing child returned home, his family claims he emerged from the station with severe physical trauma.

Conflicting accounts of violence and medical evidence

A key witness has since challenged the official police version.The missing boy's sister, who lodged the complaint and accompanied police to identify Siyad's house, alleged that she saw a civil police officer assault him inside the police vehicle. According to her, the officer repeatedly struck Siyad while questioning him about the boy's whereabouts.

Siyad’s family further alleged that he suffered a fractured rib during the ordeal, an injury they believe led to his eventual death. The case gained further attention after a phone recording between Siyad’s daughter and a Civil Police Officer became public. In the emotional audio, the young girl is heard weeping while confronting the officer, stating that her father had explicitly identified him as his assailant before he died. She pointed out that the family had warned officers of his pre-existing health issues during the arrest, yet he was still allegedly beaten until his spine became severely infected.

In a starkly different version of events, the police department has denied all allegations of physical abuse. Authorities maintain that Siyad was never harmed during transport or while at the station. They pointed to medical reports suggesting the cause of death was liver cirrhosis and jaundice brought on by chronic alcohol consumption. Furthermore, officials claimed that early hospital records from his treatment made no mention of assault-related injuries.

Political turmoil and demands for justice

The death has sparked a political firestorm in Kollam, leading to a blockade of the Kundara police station by activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). Protesters refused to leave until senior officials arrived to address the situation, eventually securing a promise of a departmental inquiry against Sub-Inspector Athul and Civil Police Officer Sreejith.

Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan and other prominent figures have visited the grieving family, demanding immediate legal action against the officers involved. They have characterised the incident as a grave violation of human rights and are pushing for financial compensation for Siyad’s wife and children. The District Crime Branch is currently conducting a formal probe into the circumstances of the detention and the subsequent medical complications that led to the fatality.