Migrant worker beaten up by mob, cops after fleeing employers sexual assault

KOZHIKODE: A 19-year-old migrant worker from Assam was brutally assaulted by a mob and subsequently by the police in Koodaranji on Tuesday after a local resident falsely accused him of chain snatching to cover up an alleged sexual assault attempt. The worker, Maminul Islam, was left injured and traumatised by the ordeal that began after he fled from his employers house in terror. The incident unfolded after Islam completed his work at the residence of Saji Mazhuvanchery, 56, a former expatriate. According to Islams statement to the police, the homeowner then insisted he perform a body massage, during which Saji allegedly attempted to sexually harass him. Terrified, the young man immediately fled from the residence. Sensing trouble, the homeowner Saji alleged that the worker ran away after stealing his gold chain and raised an alarm. Following this false accusation, a crowd of local residents quickly gathered and began assaulting the migrant worker. The trauma was compounded when Thiruvambady police officers, who arrived at the scene, also allegedly beat up the worker before taking him to the police station. The people never listened to my side of the story and beat me up, a distraught Maminul Islam stated. It was only during a detailed interrogation at the police station that the truth began to surface. Islam consistently denied the theft and narrated his terrifying account of the alleged sexual assault. This prompted the police to summon Saji Mazhuvanchery for a detailed questioning. A subsequent search of Sajis house led to the discovery of the gold chain he had reported stolen, confirming that his complaint was entirely false. Fellow migrant workers in the area have rallied in support of Islam, alleging that the complaint filed by Saji was a malicious fabrication from the start. In response to the incident, Thiruvambady police have filed a case against Saji Mazhuvanchery for assault. SHO Prajish K acknowledged the events, stating, There was a minor conflict when the residents stopped the Assam- native man as the accused Saji was repeatedly saying that his gold chain was stolen. Even the police also questioned him, but there was a communication gap and later we came to know about the incident when the victim explained. There was no intentional confrontation, said Prajish. Despite the official statement, the incident has cast a harsh spotlight on the recurring issue of police assaults. The latest case echoes a recent incident in Meppayur, where a young man was assaulted by police following a misunderstanding over an accused persons identity. Maminul Islam said: I will go ahead with the police complaint against the accused. He is determined to take legal action for the false accusation, the alleged sexual harassment, and the assault he endured. Police are continuing their investigation into the conduct of the homeowner.