Kozhikode: The suicide of Cherpulassery Station House Officer (SHO) Binu Thomas (52) has taken a dramatic and disturbing turn with the emergence of a 32-page suicide note, naming a serving Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and alleging sexual exploitation, harassment, and a deliberate cover-up within the police force.

Thomas, a native of Thottilpalam, was found hanging in his official quarters on November 15. While initial assumptions pointed to work pressure as the cause, the newly surfaced note paints a far more sinister picture involving institutional abuse and coercion.

According to the suicide note, the senior officer—who was working as a Sub-Inspector in Palakkad in 2014 and is currently posted in Kozhikode—had allegedly visited the home of a young woman arrested in a moral policing case and sexually exploited her.

The note claims the officer reached the house when only the woman’s mother and her two children were present and then coerced the woman into complying with his demands.

Thomas wrote that he was reportedly forced to assist the senior officer during this incident, a role that left him deeply distressed and marked the beginning of years of mental trauma.

Sections of the note previously translated revealed that Thomas had repeatedly accused the DSP of threatening him, harassing him, and pressuring him to suppress facts related to the woman’s case. These alleged pressures, he wrote, pushed him into a psychological breakdown.

Shockingly, the note also claims that certain officers attempted to hide or suppress parts of the suicide note after his death, raising further questions about interference and the protection of influential individuals.

The leak of the full note has triggered statewide outrage, with demands for an impartial investigation and immediate criminal action against the accused officer. Reports suggest that key portions of the note were withheld during the initial inquiry, intensifying public anger and concerns of a cover-up.

The Kerala Police and government authorities have not yet issued an official response. However, legal experts say that the allegations—if proven—could lead to serious departmental and criminal proceedings.

The case continues to escalate as political groups, police associations, and women’s rights organisations call for transparency and justice.

 

DISCLAIMER: Suicide is not a solution:

If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 9152987821, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.