Crime Branch Debunks Peroorkada Necklace Theft, Alleges Police Fabricated Case Against Dalit Woman

Thiruvananthapuram: The Crime Branch, following a re-investigation into the Peroorkada necklace theft case, has leveled serious accusations against the police for allegedly attempting to frame Bindu, a Dalit domestic worker. A report submitted by DySP Vidyadharan states unequivocally that no necklace was stolen from the house in Peroorkada, and that the police fabricated a narrative to falsely implicate Bindu in the theft.

The investigation team’s findings reveal that Omana Daniel, the homeowner who has memory issues, had simply misplaced the necklace under a sofa in her own residence. The report further indicates that Omana Daniel herself later discovered the necklace. This contradicts the initial claim by Peroorkada police that the missing ornament was found in a garbage heap behind the house, a story which the Crime Branch now asserts was a lie.

According to the report, the police concocted the story of finding the necklace in the garbage to justify Bindu’s unlawful detention. It also highlights that Station House Officer Shivakumar was aware of Bindu’s illegal confinement at the station, with CCTV footage clearly showing him interrogating her at night. The Crime Branch report recommends disciplinary action against Peroorkada SHO Shivakumar and Omana Daniel for their roles in attempting to falsely implicate the Dalit woman in the theft case.

The Peroorkada police had initially registered a case against Bindu, a resident of Chullimanoor, Nedumangad, based on Omana Daniel’s complaint about a missing gold ornament. Bindu, who had only started working at the house four days prior to the complaint, was taken into police custody and subjected to mental harassment while being held at the station overnight. The following day, Omana Daniel informed the police that the supposedly lost gold had been found in a garbage heap behind her house, leading to Bindu’s release.

This incident caused significant embarrassment to the police department, resulting in the suspension of an SI and an ASI, and the transfer of the Station Inspector to Kozhikode. However, the case was closed without a proper investigation into how the missing gold supposedly ended up in the garbage heap. Bindu subsequently filed a complaint demanding a comprehensive inquiry into the police harassment, prompting the Human Rights Commission to order an investigation by a DySP from outside the district. It was this subsequent investigation, led by Pathanamthitta DySP Vidyadharan, that brought forth these grave findings against the police.