SALEM: Unable to endure the humiliation of getting verbally and physically abused by a policeman in public, a 27-year-old engineering graduate attempted to commit suicide by consuming poison here on Sunday.
Even as the victim, identified as Prabakaran of Sevampalayam village, managed to survive his suicide attempt, his relatives pressured the police into filing a case against the Inspector in question. The incident that triggered the suicide attempt took place on Saturday evening, when Prabakaran, along with two of his friends, was pulled over by a team of police headed by Attaiyampatti Inspector Dhandapani. When ordered to pay a fine for riding a two-wheeler without wearing a helmet, Prabakaran called up his parents, who arrived at the spot and tried to pursuade the police to let him go. During the conversation that ensued, Dhandapani had allegedly slapped Prabakaran, besides hurling verbal abuses at him.
Although he was eventually allowed to go, he consumed poison in the wee hours on Sunday after writing a letter explaining his reason for resorting to the extreme step. Fortunately, his parents rushed him to a hospital before it was too late. He is said to be out of danger.
When contacted, Dhandapani denied slapping the victim and asserted that he was being deliberately targeted.