Family members of B. Govindan alias Govindarajan (45), the suspected robbery accused, who was shot dead by police in the alleged encounter on Thursday night, refused to accept the body, demanding registration of murder case against the Sub Inspector of Police who gunned down him.
A day after the magisterial inquiry into the killing, G Bavani, wife of the deceased, came to the Collectorate here on Saturday with her three daughters, demanding that the SI be booked under SC/ST (prevention of atrocities) Act, compensation to the family and government job to her first daughter.
The widow, who was accompanied by advocates, including Ramaraj and S Pasumalai, met Collector S Natarajan and Superintendent of Police N. Manivannan separately, said she would not accept the body unless the government conceded the demands and rendered her justice.
Mr. Pasumalai said the incident never warranted ‘encounter killing’ and alleged that it was a planned murder. The SI, J. Thangamuniasamy was facing a CBI inquiry after he was involved in the infamous Paramakudi shooting incident, in which five Dalits were gunned down in 2011, he said.
He said the Collector assured to take necessary action, while the SP explained that the case was being transferred to CB-CID police for investigation. The SP also said that the police would send reports to the National and State Human Rights Commission but “we are not convinced’, he said.
Meanwhile, the SP said the district police have referred the case to the CB-CID police for investigation. Presently, the case was investigated by Inspector of Police, Thondi. Judicial Magistrate A. Kannan had already commenced the inquiry. The body of the deceased was kept in the mortuary at the government district headquarters hospital.
