Holding superior officers responsible for Tiruchengode DSP R. Vishnupriya’s death, her friend, batchmate and Deputy Superintendent of Police (Keelakkarai) in Ramanathapuram district, K. Maheswari, said honest police officials are subjected to pressure and ill-treated by seniors.
Seen weeping throughout the day near the post-mortem room, Ms. Maheswari told reporters that Vishnupriya was a bold and honest person whom she knew for six years. “She told me that the investigation in the [Gokulraj] murder case was not going in the right direction as DIG and SP put pressure on her to arrest two or three persons who were unrelated to the case. Vishnupriya was asked to detain the three under Goondas Act and that forced her to end her life.
Ms. Maheswari said that while she was talking with Vishnupriya over phone at 2.48 pm on Friday, the latter said she had got a call from Namakkal SP S.R. Senthil Kumar and that she would call her again. However, her phone was switched off later, Ms. Maheswari said. “I know the consequences. Anything may happen to me,” she added. Only a CBI probe would bring out the truth, she said, blaming the Police Department for whatever had happened.
When asked about the allegations made against senior police officials, DIG, Salem Range, Vidya Kulkarni, refused to comment, saying, “I will inform Inspector-General of Police about this.” Vishnupriya was scheduled to meet Collector V. Dakshinamoorthy at 6 p.m. on Friday regarding detention of three accused in the murder case under the Goondas Act, sources said.
Call for CBI probe
Political parties and Dalit organisations said the suicide was a loss to the police force and society. Such incidents should not happen in the future they said. Some of them demanded a CBI probe to bring out the truth.
A. Rangasamy, District Secretary, CPI (M), Namakkal district committee, wanted a transparent probe to ascertain whether Vishnupriya’s decision was due to senior officials preventing her from doing her job or whether she was threatened. “It is said that male seniors ill-treated her as she was young and being an investigating officer in a sensational case, we see something mysterious,” he said, demanding a CBI probe. Social activist A. Radha Krishnan wanted a transparent probe by the CB-CID.
Members of various Dalit outfits also said that a CBI probe was the only solution to bring out the facts of the case.
“It seems no police personnel helped her to perform her duty. Instead, they prevented her from doing it,” said Asaithambi of Makkal Desam Katchi.
