THOOTHUKUDI: A 26-year-old man who was arrested for illicit sales of liquor bottles allegedly died in the wee hours on Thursday, following police torture in custody. The family members of the deceased, identified as N Arunachalam (26) of Amutha Nagar, refused to receive the body and resorted to a protest seeking the arrest of the four police personnel involved in the attack.
Sources said that the deceased victim worked as a salesman at the TASMAC liquor shop opposite to the FCI godown. The Thoothukudi south police had detained Arunachalam on charges of selling liquor bottles illegally, and seized 120 bottles from his possession on July 17 (last Friday). Subsequently, the police personnel took him to Thoothukudi South police station for inquiry, said sources.
"Four police personnel had allegedly attacked him during the inquiry and Arunachalam was injured on the head and all over the body. The police admitted him to Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital for treatment and informed family members on Saturday", said relatives.
Arunachalam, who was under treatment for the past five days, died without responding to treatment in the wee hours on Thursday.
The kin and kith of the deceased Arunachalam protested at the hospital premises demanding action against the police personnel who attacked him, and refused to receive the body until the suspected police men were arrested.
Arunachalam's mother Parameswari said that her son suffered grievous injuries on the head and legs due to the police attack. "Four personnel had attacked Arunachalam brutally in custody. An FIR against the suspected police personnel should be registered, and they should be arrested in order to ensure justice", she demanded.