MADURAI: Special Sub-inspector of Police Pauldurai, one of the 10 accused arrested in the Sathankulam custodial death case, died due to COVID-19 at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in the wee hours on Monday.
Earlier on July 5, 56-year-old Pauldurai was arrested in connection with the alleged custodial torture and the subsequent death of of Thoothukudi father-son trader duo Jeyaraj and Benicks at Sathankulam police station in June.
Pauldurai who was lodged in Madurai Central Prison, tested positive for COVID-19 on July 24 and was shifted to the GRH for COVID-19 treatment.
Weeks into his treatment, three days ago, Pauldurai's wife Mangayarthilagam submitted a petition to the Madurai Commissioner of Police (CoP) Prem Anand Sinha on August 8, requesting permission to take her ailing husband to a private hospital in Kanniyakumari (her native place) for treatment.
In her petition, she stated that stated that "there has been no improvement in his health condition and it has become critical recently."
At this juncture, Pauldurai breathed his last at the GRH around 2.30 am on Monday.