India, Oct. 10 -- The Keralam government has sanctioned Rs 12.5 lakh as compensation to a teacher who was allegedly subjected to custodial torture by police in connection with the 2003 Muthanga tribal land agitation in Wayanad, officials said on Saturday.

In an order issued on October 8, the Home Department directed the State Police Chief to release the compensation to K K Surendran, who was a senior lecturer at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) in Sulthan Bathery at the time of the incident. It also directed the recovery of the amount from the personal assets of the two police officers held responsible for his illegal arrest and custodial torture.

The Muthanga agitation was a land rights movement led by the Adivas...