TIRUCHY: Tension prevailed in Thuraiyur after 50 villagers staged a road roko on the Musiri road late Saturday night after the death by suicide of a 27-year-old man held for enquiry in a POCSO case at the Jambunathapuram police station.
The man allegedly jumped off the terrace of the police station. He was rushed to a hospital but died on the way. Police said a magisterial inquiry will be conducted.
His relatives staged a demonstration and refused to accept his body from the Tiruchy Government Hospital where the postmortem examination was conducted.
Soon the matter escalated with 50 villagers holding a road roko on the Musiri road at 9 pm on Saturday, alleging that the youth had ended his life due to being physically assaulted by police during the inquiry.
Central Zone IG Jayaraman and Tiruchy Range DIG Annie Vijaya rushed to the spot and held talks with the protesters who wanted action against the police. Following assurances from the senior officials, the villagers finally dispersed at 2 am on Sunday.
The youth, Prashanth of Rekkampatti village near Thuraiyur had been taken to the Jambunathapuram police station earlier on Saturday for questioning in a case of kidnapping and sexual assault of a minor. Police said that in 2018, Prasanth had abducted a 16-year-old girl from Thathampatti village, married her and taken her to Tirupur district.
The girl's father filed a missing complaint with the local police station at the time. Recently Prasanth called the girl's father seeking her Aadhar details to admit her in a hospital for her second delivery. The father informed the police who traced Prasanth and the girl in Tirupur district through Sathish (19), Prasanth's brother.
A special team rushed to Tirupur and brought Prashant, the girl, now 18, and their two-year-old child to Jambunathapuram police station for questioning.
Officials from the Musiri all-women police station arrived at the Jambunathapuram police station to book Prasanth under the POCSO act. At that time, both Prasanth, the girl and his relatives were held in the rooms on the first floor of the police station.
According to police, Prasanth suddenly rushed out of the room saying he was going to die.
Despite the efforts of his relatives and the girl to stop him, he ran to the terrace and jumped off the building. He was rushed to the Musiri GH but died on the way. His body was then shifted to the Tiruchy GH for postmortem.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call AASRA's 24x7 Helpline: +91-9820466726 for assistance.