The Inspector of Police, Aravakurichi, was placed under suspension on Thursday following the death of an accused in police custody the previous night. The issue assumes importance as death occurred within three hours of the victim being brought to the police station from Madurai.
The victim, P. Kathiresan (43) of Periyakulam in Theni district, was the prime accused in the murder of his paramour G. Thilakavathy (45) of the same place. Aravakurichi police recovered the body with a badly defiled face in their limits on September 1 and filed an FIR. The victim was identified as Thilakavathy and the police launched a manhunt to nab her killer.
Even as the investigations were under way, Kathiresan surrendered before Judicial Magistrate I, Madurai, on September 6. But unaware of the development, the Aravakurichi police intensified their search for Thilakavathy’s killer. On September 10, they got wind of the surrender and moved the court for police custody of Kathiresan.
The Magistrate granted five days police custody of the accused and allowed the Aravakurichi police team to take him away for interrogation on Wednesday evening.
The Aravakurichi police team, along with Kathiresan, arrived at Aravakurichi police station at around 6 p.m. on Wednesday and in less than three hours of interrogation, Kathirean had reportedly complained of giddiness and chest pain. Immediately, the police team questioning him took him to a private hospital.
The hospital staff on examination advised that Kathiresan be taken to Karur for more intensive treatment following which he was rushed to the Apollo Hospitals in Karur where the doctors declared him “brought dead” around 10 p.m.
Immediately, the police team scurried for cover even as Superintendent of Police Santhosh Kumar visited the hospital to inspect the body of Kathiresan and reported the matter to his superiors. Late that night the body was shifted to the morgue at the Government Hospital here.
On Thursday, the kin of the deceased arrived at the hospital along with their counsel Maran who alleged that the body bore injuries indicating unbearable assault on the accused during interrogation. They alleged foul play and demanded action against the police personnel involved in this.
Mr. Santhosh Kumar placed the Inspector of Police Aravakurichi Jebaraj under suspension, pending inquiry, for the custodial death of Kathiresan.
Judicial Magistrate II, Karur, Ramanathan, commenced his inquiry into the issue and the post-mortem examination was being video recorded. A huge posse of police were posted at the hospital for security.
