Sun May 18 18:49:03 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**Kerala Police Investigates Alleged Custodial Harassment of Dalit Woman**

**THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, May 19, 2025** – The Kerala Police have launched an inquiry into allegations of custodial harassment against a Dalit woman, Bindu R., at the Peroorkada police station. Bindu, a domestic worker, was detained on April 23 after her former employer accused her of stealing 2.5 sovereigns of gold.

Bindu claims she was held for nearly 20 hours and subjected to inhumane treatment, including being denied water and threatened with the implication of her family in the theft. Despite a search of her residence yielding no evidence, she was booked under Section 306 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). She alleges she was forced to spend the night at the station and was denied food until the following afternoon.

The accusation fell apart when the complainant informed the police that the missing gold had been located at their home. Bindu has since filed complaints with the Chief Minister, the State Police Complaint Authority, and the State SC/ST Commission. The Commission has instructed the Thiruvananthapuram City Police to submit a report on the matter.

Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan has condemned the incident, calling for strict legal action against the officers involved. He criticized the Home Department’s alleged inaction and accused the department of enabling abuse of power due to a lack of accountability and political patronage. He described the officers’ conduct as a gross violation of human rights and the law.

**Summary of Provided Text:**

The provided text is a news article from The Hindu about an alleged case of custodial harassment of a Dalit woman in Kerala. Bindu R., a domestic worker, was falsely accused of theft and subjected to inhumane treatment while detained by police. The accusations were later found to be false when the “missing” gold was discovered at the complainant’s home. Bindu has filed complaints, and an inquiry has been initiated. The Leader of Opposition has strongly condemned the incident. The other provided text is an overview of different publications by the Hindu.

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