Karunakaran, 40, whom the Kasaragod excise had taken into custody and who was remanded at the Kanhangad jail, died at the Kannur Government Medical College Hospital (KGMCH) on Tuesday evening. He was arrested on July 19 on the charge of smuggling liquor.
According to the police, he was shifted to the hospital after his health condition deteriorated in the jail. He was losing consciousness and also suffered fits.
He was taken to the Kannur district hospital before being referred to the KGMCH and was on a ventilator for over a week. According to doctors, he was an alcoholic and was suffering from alcohol withdrawal syndrome. There were muscle injuries and blood clots on his body. The inquest was carried out in the presence of the Hosdurg First Class Magistrate.
Doctors said that there was a swelling in one hand. He may have been tied up, leading to the injuries.
Meanwhile, Karunakaran’s brother Srinivasa alleged that his brother had no health problems before he was arrested. The police should investigate the cause of death, he said.
Excise inspector Jijil Kumar said that Karunakaran was not assaulted in custody and he was produced in court on the same day of his arrest.
The post mortem would be carried out Wednesday and it would be video-graphed in the presence of a forensic team.
