CHENNAI: A 34-year-old man, who allegedly slit his throat with a liquor bottle under the influence of alcohol, when confronted by police for consuming liquor in the open in Tirumullaivoyal, died on the way to the hospital on Monday afternoon. According to police, the deceased was identified as Bhagyaraj, an auto driver and resident of Ayyapan Nagar at Ayapakkam. On Monday afternoon, Santhosh, a head constable attached to the Tirumullaivoyal police station, was going on rounds in Ayapakkam.
“The head constable found an auto-rickshaw parked on the roadside opposite to a private school and noticed four men consuming liquor amidst bushes 50 metres away from the vehicle. When the personnel asked them to clear the spot, two of them left immediately, while Bhagyaraj and his friend Pradip, who were inebriated, stayed put. The policeman went closer and asked them to leave the spot. Bhagyaraj refused to leave and threatened the personnel that he would harm himself if he came any closer,” said a senior police officer under whose jurisdiction the incident happened.
When the head constable raised his voice again, Bhagyaraj suddenly broke the liquor bottle and allegedly slit himself in the neck. The personnel informed the police station about the incident and rushed him to a nearby private hospital in Bhagyaraj’s auto-rickshaw. After giving first-aid, Bhagyaraj was taken to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, where he was declared dead. The Tirumullaivoyal police have registered a case. Police said that Bhagyaraj is survived by his wife and two children.
(Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on Tamil Nadu’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)