Around 100 autorickshaw drivers on Sunday petitioned the Superintendent of Police E.S. Uma seeking action against an inspector of police.
The drivers led by F. Karnan, district secretary, All India Forward Block, alleged that Inspector Sivakumar of Karumathampatti police station abetted the suicide of autorickshaw driver R. Bharathiraja.
Stopped
They said that when Bharathiraja was driving between Chettipalayam and Somanur on January 19, the inspector stopped the vehicle saying it was overloaded. He then seized the vehicle and took it to the police station. Despite repeated pleas he failed to release the vehicle insisting Bharathiraja pay a fine.
He, however, released two autorickshaws he seized on the day. Bharathiraja only ferried seven passengers, one more than the seating capacity of six.
The seventh passenger was a child, the drivers said.
The drivers also alleged that the inspector not only retained the vehicle but also assaulted Bharathiraja, who left for his native Tirunelveli the very night and committed suicide there on January 20.
They wanted the Superintendent of Police to initiate action against the inspector.
