MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Judicial Magistrate I of Tirunelveli to submit the report relating to the inquiry conducted by him into the death of an under-trial prisoner, Vinothkumar (30), by suicide in Palayamkottai central prison on October 14.
Justice Sunder Mohan gave the direction on a petition filed by Vinothkumar’s wife, Muthulakshmi (23,) seeking re-postmortem of her husband’s body on charges that he took the extreme step due to brutal custodial torture. She also sought compensation under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The case was adjourned to November 12.
According to Muthulakshmi, her husband was arrested by Tenkasi All women police in a Pocso case in 2019 and was released on bail. However, he was once again arrested on September 29 for failing to appear before the trial court, and was lodged in Palayamkottai central prison same day, she added.
Muthulakshmi alleged that when her husband was produced before the court on October 13, he told her that he had been severely beaten up by the jail authorities. However, he was afraid to report them, fearing further torture. But the next day, her mother-in-law received a phone call from the prison that her husband had ended his life, Muthulakshmi said. When they reached GH to see his body, they found bruises and swelling on several parts. Raising doubts over the nature of his death, she sought a direction for a re-postmortem.
(To overcome suicidal thoughts, contact TN helpline 104 and Sneha suicide helpline 044-24640050)