Man dragged by car in Wayanad for 500m after argument, probe on

Kochi: A 49-year-old man was dragged for nearly half a kilometre along a road in Wayanad district of Kerala by an unidentified gang, after his thumb got caught in the car door, police said on Monday.

The incident happened near a check dam at Koodal Kadavu in Mananthavady on December 15 evening, and the visuals were widely circulated on social media. The victims belonged to a tribal hamlet in Chemmad.

According to police, the victim, Mathan, has sustained injuries in his hands, hips, and legs after being dragged along the road by the occupants of the car, who were suspected to be tourists who came here to see the check dam.

“As per the information, some arguments cropped up between two groups of tourists who visited the area on Sunday. Local people, including Mathan, tried to intervene in the issue, but finally ended up with him being subjected to this cruelty,” a police officer said, adding that the accused fled the area. “We are yet to identify the accused. We suspect that they were from Kuttipuram,” he said.

Mathan’s younger brother, who did not identify himself, said: “I and my brother were standing at a shop when a car with four men in it stopped in front of us. They were shouting abuses and it was not clear what provoked them. When they tried to pelt stones at us, we intervened.”

“My brother went near the car to talk to them, but the driver started driving away. In between, Manthan’s hand got stuck inside the door. That’s when the man in the front passenger seat held on to my brother’s hand as the car began to drag him on the road. He was nearly dragged for half a kilometre,” the brother said.

The brother further alleged that Mathan was left abandoned by the side of the road by the gang as they sped away in the red Celerio car. Mathan is currently undergoing treatment at the Medical College hospital in Mananthavady.

Mananthavady SHO Sunil Gopi, who is leading the probe, said the main accused who drove the car at the time was identified as Arshid, a native of Kaniyampatta. The car has been confiscated from the home of his relative, he added.

“We have found that Arshid and three of his friends were in the car at the time. They are currently absconding, but efforts are on to arrest them as soon as possible,” he said.

The accused have been booked on charges including attempt to murder, public nuisance, causing provocation, wrongful restraint and intentional harm.

Governor Arif Muhammad Khan called the incident “very unfortunate” and sought tough action by the police.

Kalpetta Congress MLA T Siddique said the incident was proof of ongoing assaults against members of the tribal community. “Under the current LDF government, the assaults against tribal people is continuing. Such human rights violations must be stopped,” he said.

The Kerala state human rights commission has sought a report from the Wayanad district superintendent of the police on the action taken so far.