Kerala Police Apologises For Forced Squats Ordered By Top Cop In Lockdown

The senior officer, in the report, also requested forgiveness for the IPS officer's act, which had triggered widespread controversy even as Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan came out criticising the act.

Kerala police has tendered an apology to the state human rights panel for making three passers-by perform forced squats by IPS officer Yathish Chandra as a public punishment for violating COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in Kannur district two years ago.

In a report submitted to the panel, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Kannur Range admitted that the act was "completely wrong" but Mr Chandra, the then district police chief, did that with good intention as there was a possibility of the spread of the pandemic if strict action was not taken against the violators of the lockdown curbs.

The senior officer, in the report, also requested forgiveness for the IPS officer's act, which had triggered widespread controversy even as Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan came out criticising the act.

The police submitted the report based on a case registered by the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on its own considering the media reports regarding the incident that happened in March, 2020.