The K. Narayana Kurup Commission inquiring into the custodial death of Kolahalamedu resident Rajkumar would submit its report before July 5.
Talking to press persons after collecting the evidence at its sitting at the PWD Rest House, Thodupuzha, on Thursday, he said the commission had clear evidence on the circumstances that led to the torture and death of Rajkumar. The panel so far collected 54 documents and took statement from 54 witnesses.
It would also take statement from 20 more witnesses. Though notices were issued, a few persons, including the first accused and the then sub inspector at the Nedumkandam police station, did not appear before the commission. Mr. Narayana Kurup said the panel enjoyed the powers of a civil court and the action against those who had failed to appear before it would be considered. He said another sitting would be held in Kochi.
Doctor and vicar
Those appeared before the commission were the doctor who had treated the victim when he was brought to the Peerumade taluk hospital from the sub-jail, the vicar of St. Sebastian’s church at Wagamon where the body was buried, and the victim’s neighbours at Kolahalamedu where he was brought after the police arrested him. It was with the aim to recover the money he had collected from the public in the name of Haritha Financiers that he was brought there.
It was alleged that the police had assaulted him at Kolahalamedu in the hope of recovering the money they had believed was kept there. The vicar was a witness when the body was buried at the cemetery and when exhumed for re-post-mortem. The commission took his statement also.
