A youngster allegedly jumped to his death from the fourth floor of the Kerala Cooperative Society building at Rajaji Nagar on Sunday night, reportedly after he was tortured while in custody by the Cantonment police.
Sujith, alias Jeethu, a daily wage assistant mason, whose 21{+s}{+t}birthday fell on Monday, was taken into custody from near Bakery Junction around 8.30 p.m. on Sunday. This was after local people complained about him and his friend Jomon being involved in a drunken brawl near Hotel Triveni. The police said both were drunk and Jeethu was about to buy more liquor before the brawl broke out.
Both were taken to the Cantonment police station. H. Venkatesh, City Police Commissioner, said they were let off on bail after a case for drunken misbehaviour was registered. However, relatives and residents of Rajaji Nagar alleged that the youngsters were tortured by the police for nearly 45 minutes and that it was because of the torture that Jeethu, who was taken home by relatives around 10 p.m., resorted to the extreme step.
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According to eyewitnesses, he scaled the compound wall of the building near the colony around 10.30 p.m., took the stairs to reach the top, and jumped. He was rushed to the General Hospital, but doctors could not save him. Tension prevailed on the hospital premises late in the night with relatives allegedly manhandling a few policemen as well.
An inquest was conducted in the presence of the Revenue Divisional Officer on Monday after which an autopsy too was conducted. The body was then handed over to relatives. Mr. Venkatesh ruled out the possibility of the youngster being tortured. However, further decisions on whether a probe was necessary would be taken once the autopsy report was available, he said. Jeethu’s friend Jomon, meanwhile, is admitted in the General Hospital. Jeethu is survived by his father Sunil Kumar, mother Bindu, and siblings Seenu and Subi.
He was taken into custody for alleged drunken brawl.