14 yrs on, another brutality case awaits justice in T'kudi

“My youngest brother Arun Bharath was just 20 when he was brutally murdered by policemen in 2006. We are still running behind the judiciary in search of justice,” said G Femina, sister of Arun Bharath.

The incident happened in May 2006, when Arun Bharath, working in a private tyre company in Kerala, came to his home in Sathankulam for holidays. While returning to Kerala he gave his bike to one of his friends Johnson. When Arun returned to Sathankulam on June 1, he was informed by Johnson that the bike was stolen, but Arun learnt that Johnson had sold his bike. When Arun questioned Johnson there was a brawl between them and Arun filed a police complaint following which Johnson was arrested and remanded for 14 days. “Johnson who developed a grudge on Arun bribed a police sub-Inspector Srikumar and on June 17 Srikumar dragged my brother out of our home in front of all the family members and beat him on the street,” alleged Femina. She also said that Srikumar was joined by a woman SI and four other constables and all six policemen brutally beat Arun on the street. After crowd gathered, the cops dragged Arun to the police vehicle and took him away. When Femina’s another brother Vijay questioned police for beating Arun, he too was put inside the police vehicle and was attacked. After taking them for some distance, the brothers were dropped in the middle of the road and asked to go home, but when Arun was taken to hospital due to severe injuries he was declared dead, said Femina. Soon, Vijay committed suicide after his brother’s death and their mother Gnana Ramani who became sick after the incident passed away.

“Though the case was taken up by state Human Rights Commission there was no development and the SI who was suspended initially is still continuing to work,” said Femina. She further said that the case is pending in Madurai Bench of Madras High Court and they are still waiting for judgment though all the hearings and arguments are completed long before.