The district court has ordered an inquiry into a complaint raised by a remand prisoner.
The prisoner alleged that he was scalded by officials of the Poojappura Central Prison using boiling water for raising an objection after finding hair in his breakfast.
The complainant, Leon Johnson of Kaniyapuram, moved the court when he was produced by the police for extending his remand term on Monday.
The alleged incident, which took place on November 10, had come to light after one of Leon’s friends petitioned the Kerala State Human Rights Commission. The commission registered a case and directed the prison superintendent to submit a report within 15 days.
Leon, who removed his shirt when he was produced at a Thiruvananthapuram First Class Magistrate Court, submitted a complaint levelling serious allegations against the prison officials. He claimed to have been taken to the prison watch tower where he was subjected to torture.
The court also ordered the prison authorities to provide necessary medical treatment to the prisoner.
He had been arrested by the Thumba police for allegedly posting a defamatory post against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the backdrop of an agitation by fishermen in protest against the alleged apathy of the government towards the threat faced by fishing boats in Muthalapozhi months ago. Leon, who has been in judicial custody for four months, is also accused in several other cases.
