An investigation is being launched into allegations made by paraplegic former Dutch-Surinamese football player Edu Nandlal that he was assaulted while being held by police in the city of Utrecht.

According to Nandlal he was stopped by police on Christmas Eve and was pulled from his vehicle. He subsequently fell to the ground on his face. He was then taken to a police station and held there on Saturday night in connection with a burglary.

Nandlal says he was further assaulted during the questioning. Police say he refused to cooperate, but that there was no question of assault.

After spending a night behind bars, Nandlal claims a catheter was inserted in the wrong way, causing him to pass blood. When he was released on Sunday morning, he went to a hospital which, he says, confirmed that he had suffered a haemorrhage in his bladder.

Arrest a mistake
Police have since confirmed Nandlal had nothing to do with the burglary. He had been packing some of his daughter's belongings into his car, but a neighbour thought it was a case of burglary and reported it to the police.

The mayor of Utrecht, Aleid Wolfsen, said he has asked the Public Prosecutor's office to investigate the incident. Nandlal said he still intends filing a report of assault.

Radjindernath "Edu" Nandlal was born in Paramaribo. He moved from Suriname to the Netherlands in 1980 at the age of 17. During his football career, he played for FC Utrecht, FC Emmen and Vitesse.

He was one of the footballers that survived the Surinam Airways air crash in Paramaribo on 7 June, 1989, in which 176 people died.

(jn/mw)

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