Why did the policemen viciously beat up Velutha in front of the twins? Did they know that the children were there? Even when they were "done" beating up Velutha the policemen still handcuffed him and dragged him away. This part of the book explains why Ammu was begging to the police chief why everything had been a mistake. What I have not figured out yet is why they the grownups thought to separate the kids after everything. Did they have a fear that the kids might try to tell the truth about how Velutha really died?