IPS officer to probe killing of man by Dy SP B Harikumar

Pushed in front of oncoming car

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Sunday appointed senior IPS officer S Sreejith as the investigating officer to probe the death of a 32-year-old man, who was killed after a senior police official allegedly pushed him in front of a moving car following a minor scuffle.

The development comes at a time when the police official is yet to be nabbed and the victim's family has threatened to move the Kerala High Court, seeking a CBI inquiry into the death. 

On November 5, Sanal was killed after being pushed in front of a moving car allegedly by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) B Harikumar at Neyyatinkara near here. 

The case, which was being investigated by Crime branch Superintendent of Police K M Antony, has been transferred to IG Sreejith after Sanal's family also sought a probe by an IPS officer, a press release issued by police said. 

Demanding a CBI inquiry into the case, Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the state government was trying to derail the probe. 

"Sanal's family is seeking a CBI probe. If police are investigating the atrocity committed by one of their officials, there are chances of a botched-up investigation," he alleged. 

Meanwhile, one person was taken into custody in connection with the incident. The manager of a tourist home at Tirpparappu in Tamil Nadu was taken into custody for allegedly helping the DySP escape after providing him two SIM cards.