PUDUCHERRY: Five police personnel of the Villianur police station were suspended in connection with the death of a 36-year-old man, who was detained for interrogation in theft cases.
The suspended cops were Sajith (sub-inspector), Ganesan (assistant sub-inspector), Anandakrishnan, Padmanabhan and Selvam (constables), a top police department official said.
According to police sources, the victim Aavi alias Muthukumaran (36) a resident of Nadarajan Nagar, Muthupillaipalayam in Villianur, was picked up four days ago. Muthukumaran was held for questioning after Michael A, hailing for Madipakkam, Chennai, revealed that the former was his associate in the thefts committed here.
Sources said both the suspects were lodged in Villianur police station cells on Tuesday. However, around 3 pm, Muthukumaran was found hanging in the cell with his lungi tied to the ventilator. The police personnel took him to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital at Kathirgamam, where the doctors declared him brought dead.
Muthukumaran’s relatives gathered at the police station alleging that he was tortured to death by the police.
A preliminary enquiry was conducted by Senior Superintendent of Police (Law and Order), Dr V J Chandran, IPS, Superintendent of Police (South) Bairousamy, on Tuesday night following which the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jegadeesan Kannan, IPS, placed the five cops under suspension.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, tension prevailed after relatives of Muthukumaran, including his three minor daughters, and activists of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) picketed the Villianur police station on Wednesday. Judicial Magistrate Prakash conducted enquiries with police officials of the station.