Latest news with #Vimalan
New Indian Express
23-05-2025
- New Indian Express
SRHC imposes Rs 4 lakh penalty on two policemen for breaking suspect's leg
TIRUNELVELI: Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission (SRHC) imposed a penalty of Rs 4 lakh and recommended disciplinary action against a sub-inspector (SI) and a head constable (HC) who broke the leg of a suspect in 2020. In its order on Wednesday, the SHRC member and Judge V Kannadasan confirmed that SI R Vimalan and head constable N Maharajan had violated the human rights of the victim E Petchivel. In his proof affidavit, Petchivel had submitted that he was arrested by the duo on January 15, 2020. "I was tortured in the police station by Vimalan and Maharajan. The next day, I was not given any food from the morning till noon and was put up in the lockup room. At about 3 pm, Vimalan tied my hands and legs and dropped the gas cylinder on my right leg. Unable to bear the pain, I cried and fell unconscious. Then I was given an injection at a private hospital and was produced before the Magistrate who recommended me for further treatment. Following this, the police took me to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital where the doctors didn't ask me the cause of my injuries. They just put a bandage but the pain was immense and I did not sleep the whole night," Petchivel said. The SHRC rejected the Tirunelveli city police commissioner's report stating that the suspect jumped into a railway track, fell into a ditch, broke his leg, and blamed the doctors for not recording the injuries. The SHRC said that, considering the oral and documentary evidence and hearing the arguments of both parties, it is established that the police personnel brutally assaulted the victim and caused a fracture on his right leg. "During the arguments, the respondents submitted that Petchivel had more than 20 cases registered against him and the complainant and Petchivel's son, E Chandra, alleged that they were all false cases. It is an admitted universal truth that even a convict is entitled to human rights. Because Petchivel has more than 20 cases registered against him, no police are allowed to beat him or torture him in custody," Kannadasan remarked. The complainant Chandra had approached the commission in 2020 and Petchivel had passed away in 2024 while the case was still pending. The SHRC ordered the state government to collect each Rs 2 lakh from Vimalan and Maharajan and give it to Chandra. It also recommended disciplinary action against the duo. SHRC comes down heavily on docs In its order, the SHRC came down heavily on the hospital doctors for not reporting his injuries. "It's very wrong to say that the duty doctors did not record the injuries and mechanically filled the OP chit despite the Magistrate observing that the victim was unable to walk. Surprisingly in another medical document, it was mentioned that the patient was brought by the police. In such cases, the doctors shall examine the body of the accused and record any injuries found. But the duty doctors, Dr Charles, Dr Akhilesh, and Dr Dessik did not record any of it," the SHRC observed.
Free Malaysia Today
22-05-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
Court throws out suit by motorcyclist, says claim of car collision false
Alor Setar sessions court judge Noor Zaihan Ali said the plaintiff failed to prove his case on the balance of probabilities. (File pic) PETALING JAYA : A sessions court in Alor Setar, Kedah, has dismissed a negligence suit filed by a motorcyclist after ruling that his claim that a car collided with his motorcycle in 2017 is false. Judge Noor Zaihan Ali said T Vimalan had failed to prove his case on the balance of probabilities. She said Vimalan had admitted during cross-examination that the collision did not involve a car, while another witness, V Dhayanandh, also conceded that Vimalan skidded and fell on his own. Zaihan also pointed out that the driver of the car, Hashim Bakar, had only lodged a police report two years after the accident. The judge, however, assessed damages to injuries suffered by Vimalan at RM352,000. Vimalan had claimed that he was knocked down by a car driven by Hashim along the Masjid Aman intersection in Alor Setar at about 4am on Nov 3, 2017. In his statement of claim, he said he suffered multiple injuries, including complete brachial plexus injury to his right upper limb. He sought about RM1 million in damages for loss of earnings and orthosis to support his right arm from the owner of the vehicle, Yusof Bakar. The insurer of the car, Tokio Marine Insurance, suspected that something was amiss and instructed adjusters to investigate and verify the accident. They managed to trace Dhayanandh, a friend of Vimalan's friend, who lodged a police report stating that the plaintiff had skidded and injured himself on his own. Vimalan produced 14 witnesses, including Hashim, who claimed to have collided with his motorcycle. The insurer had called Kota Setar police criminal investigation department chief Zahrin Abdul Rahman, who affirmed that there was no evidence that a car had collided into Vimalan's motorcycle. Lawyer Imavathi Subramaniam represented Tokio Marine Insurance while Samreet Singh Sagoo represented Yusof and Hashim. Vimalan was represented by Inderjit Singh.
