Kin point fingers at cops as man found dead

Sarath, a history-sheeter, found dead in a lake near Sholingur; family claims he was thrashed, strangulated

VELLORE: A 30-year-old history-sheeter was found dead in a lake near Sholingur on Saturday. It is alleged that the deceased, identified as Sarathkumar alias Sarath, was thrashed and strangulated to death at Kondapalayam police station.   
The family of Sarath said he was killed by a police team headed by Arakkonam Assistant Superintendent of Police S Sakthi Ganesan. An internal inquiry by Vellore district police confirmed the involvement of policemenin Arakkonam sub division in the incident. But, top officials claimed innocence.
Sarath, a native of T N Nagar in Arakkonam, had been living with his wife Rajeswari in Thiruvotriyur in Chennai.

The body of Sarathkumar (inset) found in Magendrawadi Lake on Panavaram-Sholingur border | Express

Several cases pertaining to attempt to murder and riots were pending against him at Arakkonam town and Thiruvotriyur police stations. On Wednesday, sources said, Sarath was arrested in connection with an assault case, but he managed to escape from custody. Later on Saturday, his body was found in Magendrawadi lake near Sholingur.
“Police killed my husband. We were threatened. We will lodge a complaint against them,” said Rajeswari, who is now three months pregnant. Meanwhile, Sarath’s body was handed over to his family after conducting an autopsy at Medical College hospital in Vellore. Later the body was taken to Thiruvotriyur for cremation.

Police sources told Express that an investigation conducted by a Vellore police team found that Sarath had been arrested from a hotel in Sholingur and was taken to Kondapalayam police station by Sakthi Ganesan and other policemen attached to the Crime Investigation Wing of Arakkonam sub division. “He was thrashed and reportedly strangulated,” said sources.
After asking the policemen on night duty at the station to leave, sources said, Sarath’s body was taken on a vehicle and was dumped in Magendrawadi Lake on Panavaram-Sholingur border, near Kondapalayam station.
ASP Sakthi Ganesan denied the charges and said if any sort of police brutality was involved, it would have come to light in the forensic report. SP P Pakalavan also rubbished the claims and said Sarath drowned.