KOTTAYAM: Tension prevailed in Melukavu near Erattupetta on Thursday afternoon, when residents marched in protest to the Melukavu police station along with the ambulance carrying the body of Rajesh who committed suicide after being released on bail in a chain-snatching case.
Rajesh 30, of Valyath Panachikkalayil house, Kadanad, was arrested on February 21 in connection with a chain snatching incident at Neeloor town. The accused later committed suicide on Wednesday, after posting a video on the social media accusing the police, especially Station House Officer (SHO) Sandeep Kumar, and two Ramapuram residents Sarath and Jishnu of trapping him. In the video, Rajesh said he decided to end life as the police were trying to slap various other cases upon him to lock him in jail forever.
However, the police dismissed the allegations. They had shifted the probe from Melukavu SHO to Erattupetta CI. Meanwhile, Pala DySP K Bijumon will probe the circumstances in which Rajesh committed suicide and his allegations against Melukavu SHO. According to the Kottayam District Police Chief Hari Sankar, there was no prima facie lapse on the part of the SHO in the case.