Karnataka: Epileptic 50-year-old, beaten for defying Covid curfew, dies

MADIKERI: A 50-year-old epilepsy patient, who was allegedly beaten up by policemen for leaving home during lockdown hours, died in the district hospital on Saturday. Eight policemen of the Virajpet station have been suspended and the inquiry has been handed over to CID. “Whoever the culprits may be, they will be punished based on an impartial inquiry,” southern range IGP Praveen Madhukar Pawar said.
Roy D’Souza was mentally unstable due to epileptic fits and on Wednesday night, ran out of home with a sickle in his hand, his family said.Police said he tried to attack them when asked why he had stepped out of home when a Covid curfew was in force. Roy’s mother was called to the police station around 3am and found him in a semi-unconscious state, Roy’s younger brother Robin said. Roy lived with his mother in Virajpet while Robin, who lives in Bengaluru, rushed to Kodagu after the incident.
Roy was admitted to a private hospital in Madikeri and later moved to the district hospital where he died. Robin has filed a police complaint and urged SP Kshama Mishra to ensure an impartial investigation.
‘Mom found patient lying near police station’
Robin alleged that his brother was beaten up badly and their mother found him lying in front of the police station, barely conscious. “He died in hospital due to multiple injuries sustained from the beating,” he alleged.
The CID probe team is expected to reach Kodagu on Sunday. Those suspended are head constables MU Sunil and KG Nehru, and constables NS Lokesh, HJ Tanukumar, NH Satish, ML Sunil, A Ramesh and BT Pradeep.
Forums file plaint
As news of Roy’s death spread, members of various organizations protested on Saturday, accusing police of brutality. In Virajpet town, district congress president Dharmaja Uthappa protested near the police station and submitted a written complaint to deputy SP Jaikumar.