RAMANATHAPURAM: Hours after an inquiry at Keelathooval police station on Saturday, a 20-year-old college student died under mysterious circumstances at his house in the wee hours on Sunday.
The deceased youth identified as L Manikandan was a resident of Neerkozhinendal village and was a final-year student. He and his friends who were travelling in two-wheelers were stopped by the police on Saturday night during a vehicle search. While his friends stopped their bikes, Manikandan did not, said sources.
The police reportedly chased Manikandan, caught him and took him to Keelathooval police station for questioning. Following the inquiry, the police informed Manikandan's family and he was taken back home by his mother and younger brother who arrived at the station.
Hours later, Manikandan was found dead at home under mysterious circumstances with foaming in the mouth around 3.30 am on Sunday. The youth's body was sent to Mudukulathur government hospital for autopsy. However, alleging police torture as the cause of the student's death, his kin staged a protest outside the hospital demanding thorough investigation and compensation.
Following talks with the police, the family members withdrew the protest and received the body. The local police said he might have died due to snake bite.
When contacted, the Superintendent of Police (SP) E Karthik said, "An analysis of the CCTV footage at Keelathooval police station revealed that Manikandan was only questioned and not subjected to torture as alleged by the family. He was then sent home by Keelathooval police around 8.50 pm."
The preliminary post-mortem report did not indicate any external injury or puncture wounds caused due to snake bite, he added. The cause of death could be ascertained after the analysis of the viscera, said the SP.