Kerala police lays bare concoction most foul

NT Correspondent

Kadakkal, Kerala: It was a call from a YouTuber to the Kadakkal police in Kollam district around 1:30 am on September 25.

The caller had said he had received a call from an Indian Army soldier who was allegedly beaten up by a group of unknown miscreants who scribbled ‘PFI’ on his back.

Shortly thereafter, a reporter from a news channel with known affiliation with a saffron outfit called the police station and wanted to check if a case had been filed. He even informed the police that the soldier was at the Kadakkal Govt Hospital.

Immediately, a team led by circle inspector Rajesh P.S. arrived at the hospital. The saga that unravelled in the next few hours has dominated the headlines in the state.

The police personnel TNM (The News Minute) spoke to said they were alarmed at the allegation as the Popular Front of India (PFI) was banned a year ago, and PFI attacking an Indian soldier could foment trouble.

They found the soldier, 35-yearold Shine Kumar, in the outpatient section of the hospital, all set to give his statement. But the police were suspicious since the moment they got the call to the station, as reported by The Wire.

“Usually, we are informed by the victims, their relatives, civilians or the hospital staff. But we got it through a media house and a YouTuber, which made us suspicious,” said the inspector, speaking to TNM.

This suspicion grew stronger when Shine was spotted at the hospital. There were no apparent scratches on his body, his shirt had a clean, straight cut, and he appeared unharmed. Authorities proceeded to record his statement and filed a case against six individuals who could be identified but remained unknown, accusing them of assaulting the soldier.

However, within a few hours, it became evident that Shine had fabricated the incident in an attempt to gain notoriety.

The blatant lie

In his statement to the police, Shine recounted that he had been attacked at a rubber estate.

He informed the police that he was a member of the Indian Army's EME Corps, stationed in Rajasthan, and was on vacation in Kadakkal until September 25th.

According to Shine, on the night of September 24th, he had organised a small gathering at his residence. After dinner, he rode his motorcycle to meet his friend Joshy in order to hand over Rs 1,000 in cash.

Shine explained that Joshy had transferred the money to him via Google Pay and requested Shine to withdraw it and deliver it in person. As per Shine's account, when he arrived near Mukkada Government School, six individuals intercepted him and informed him that an intoxicated man required assistance.

Shine claimed that he agreed to accompany these individuals to a rubber estate located on the Mukkada Chanappara road. Upon reaching the estate, he alleged that one of the men kicked him from behind while the other four assaulted him.

They lifted him off the ground, bound his hands, and sealed his mouth with tape. According to Shine, they forcibly placed him face down on the ground before lifting him once more.

Subsequently, these individuals tore his T-shirt at the back and used green paint they had with them to write 'PFI' on it. After this, they left him at the location, and he eventually managed to make his way to the hospital.

Based on his complaint, the Kadakkal police registered a First Information Report (FIR).

Spotting the sham

“What struck the police was that he had no injuries on his body, not even a scratch, no stains or signs of being attacked on his body and T-shirt. Mukkada is a central place and even if it had happened, someone – residents or passersby – must have noticed such a large group of people or heard the commotion,” said Kollam Police Chief Sunil ML as reported by TNM.

The police found discrepancies in Shine’s version of events, especially regarding his statement about handing over cash to his friend Joshy. Google Pay did verify any such transaction of the money.

Mobile tower signals showed Joshy and Shine were together at the latter’s house that night. Once Joshy was interrogated, he presented a different narrative. He informed the police that he had been intoxicated and had gone to Mukkada in response to Shine's call.

Joshy did not disclose whether they had shared a meal together. As per the police report, Joshy admitted to painting 'PFI' on Shine's back at Shine's request. According to Shine's friend, Shine had aspirations of achieving fame.

"He requested me to inscribe 'PFI' on his back. He even provided me with a blade to cut his shirt. He also asked me to physically assault him and drag him on the