Thiruvananthapuram, 10 Oct (H.S.): The Kerala government has ordered payment of ₹12.5 lakh as compensation to former District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) teacher K K Surendran, who suffered police assault during the Muthanga agitation, bringing his prolonged struggle for compensation closer to an end.

The order also directs that the amount be recovered from the police officers responsible for the assault, ensuring that the compensation does not impose a financial burden on the government.

The decision follows Surendran’s recent meeting with the Chief Minister, during which he explained his circumstances and the suffering caused by the police action. The Chief Minister subsequently directed that the government need not pursue further appeals before higher courts.

The compensation order takes into account the brutal treatment Surendran endured at the hands of the police during the agitation. It marks a significant development in a case that continued through years of investigation and litigation.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had earlier cleared Surendran of wrongdoing in the case. A court first ordered compensation for him in 2021, but the government and two police officers challenged the ruling, prolonging the legal proceedings.

In 2026, a court in Kalpetta enhanced the compensation to ₹12.5 lakh. The latest government order follows that ruling and the Chief Minister’s intervention against continuing the appellate process.

For Surendran, the decision represents official recognition of the suffering he experienced and a move towards implementing the compensation awarded through the courts.

The recovery provision places the financial responsibility on the officers held responsible for the assault. Their liability is therefore central to the implementation of the government’s order.

With the government deciding against further appeals, the focus now shifts to payment of the compensation and recovery of the amount from the police personnel concerned, as directed in the order issued following the Chief Minister’s intervention.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman