3 policemen get 10 years for death of accused

The II Additional District Court here on Friday sentenced an Inspector of Police, a Special Sub Inspector and a retired Special Sub Inspector to 10 years rigorous imprisonment each for assaulting an accused, which lead to his death a few days later.

Pronouncing the judgment, II Additional District Judge N. Uma Maheswari also imposed a fine of Rs. 5,000 each on Inspector Sivasubramanian, Special Sub Inspector Chinnasamy and retired Special Sub Inspector Loganathan.

The case dates back to October 2006 when the Perambalur police took into custody Ramachandran in connection with a criminal intimidation case.

The three policemen had served in the Perambalur Police Station then with Sivasubramanian as the Station House Officer.

Ramachandran was assaulted by police personnel before he was remanded in judicial custody and lodged in the Tiruchi Central Prison. The accused developed health problems in the prison and he was hospitalised. Ramachandran was discharged a couple of days later. Later, when he complained of chest pain, he was admitted to the Tiruchi Government Hospital where he died, a fortnight after his arrest.

The Revenue Divisional Officer, Tiruchi, (RDO) conducted an inquiry into the circumstances under which Ramachandran died.

The RDO gathered evidence and recorded statements of witnesses, including the victim’s son.

The officer submitted the findings and lodged a private complaint with the court.