An autopsy performed on the Dalit youth who was found dead along a railway track, has revealed that he died of a "serious head injury," even as the probe was transferred to local police.
"The post-mortem report, which was done late last night, declared that the boy died of a serious head injury," police said.
However, the report does not throw light on whether the death was a case of suicide or murder, sources said, a day after the Madras High Court directed the state government to preserve till Tuesday the body of the youth Ilavarasan, and to give his father a copy of the post-mortem report along with the video graph of the procedure.
Police sources said today the case was transferred from Government Railway Police to local police as per the Tamil Nadu DGP's order.
Harur DSP M Sampath would be the Investigation Officer and a team has been formed, sources said.
Following the High Court directive, the body is being kept in the mortuary of Government Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital after autopsy. The post-mortem report along with video clippings were handed over to the counsel for Ilavarasan's parent last night, sources said.
The marriage of Ilavarasan to Divya, a Hindu girl, had triggered anti-Dalit violence in three villages of Dharmapuri in November last. His body was found along the railway track in Dharmapuri on Thursday, a day after the girl said she would never go back to him.
Sources said Government Railway Police, who recovered the body and registered a case u/s 174 of CrPC (police to inquire and report on suicide, etc), had served summons to Railway personnel including Dharmapuri Station Manager S Jayapal and the driver of the 11014 Coimbatore-Lokmanya Tilak Express train to appear by Sunday.
Political parties in the state stepped up their demand for a speedy probe into the matter.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President B S Gnanadesikan said it was the government's responsibility to declare how Illavarasan's death occurred. "I think, the responsibility also rests with the political parties that the issue does not become anti-social..", he said in a statement.
Terming the incident shameful, CPI-M and CPI demanded expediting investigations.
DMK president M Karunanidhi has already demanded a high-level probe to find out whether Ilavarasan's death was a suicide or murder.
Prohibitory orders have been clamped in Dharmapuri and armed personnel posted in sensitive areas, including that of caste Hindu localities of Naickenkottai.
Tight security is in place in Government Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital premises.