KRISHNAGIRI: A Sivaraman (30), the prime suspect in the sexual assault of a schoolgirl at a fake NCC camp at Bargur in Krishnagiri who had allegedly consumed poison before his arrest, died without responding to treatment at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital in Salem early on Friday. Incidentally, Sivaraman’s father Ashok Kumar (61), too, had died on Thursday after he fell off a two-wheeler due to a suspected heart attack.
After opposition parties, AIADMK and BJP, raised suspicion over the deaths on Friday and wondered if any attempt was being made to shield the real culprits involved in the sexual assault case, the Krishnagiri district police issued a warning against those spreading false information and said a judicial inquiry is currently under way into the matter.
A statement issued by the Krishnagiri district police late on Friday said, “A confession statement was obtained from Sivaraman at Krishnagiri Government Hospital on August 19. He had confessed that he had taken poison two days before his arrest. The doctors had mentioned that in the ‘medical history sheet’. Sivaraman was shifted to Salem GH for further treatment on August 21, but he died at 5.05 am on Friday. Earlier, he had consumed poison on July 9 due to a family dispute and received treatment for it.”
“A judicial inquiry is currently under way into Sivaraman’s death. Strict action will be taken against those who spread false information. Action will be taken if wrong information is shared regarding the death of his father Ashok Kumar too,” the statement said. Salem Government Medical College Hospital Dean Manikanthan said, “Sivaraman was being given treatment for poisoning from the beginning.”
Bodies of father, son handed over to kin
Sivaraman conducted a fake NCC camp at a private school near Bargur in the first week of August in which he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old Class 8 girl and sexually harassed 12 more girls.
Following the incident, the girl’s parents lodged a complaint at the Bargur All-Woman Police Station on August 17. According to sources, when the police tried to arrest him on August 19, he attempted to flee and fractured his leg.
He was admitted to Government Krishnagiri Medical College Hospital on the same day for treatment. He was later moved to the Government Medical College Hospital in Salem after he told police that he had consumed poison. The bodies of both the father and the son were handed over to the family members after postmortem on Friday evening, police said.
After the Bargur sexual assault case came out, multiple complaints were filed against Sivaraman who was a former district functionary of the Naam Tamilar Katchi. While a second Pocso case was filed against him for assaulting another 14-year-old girl in January at a private school near Krishnagiri, a Rs 36 lakh cheating case in a land deal was also filed against him on Wednesday. Sivaraman was among 11 people, including the school principal, who were arrested by the Bargur All-Woman police in the sexual assault case.
The state government had formed a special investigation team (SIT) led by Inspector General of Police K Bhavaneeswari to probe the incident, and a multi-disciplinary team under social welfare department secretary Jayashree Muralidharan to suggest ways to prevent repeat of such incidents. The two teams have been holding inquiries for the past two days.
(To overcome suicidal thoughts, contact Tamil Nadu helpline 104 or Sneha suicide prevention helpline 044- 24640050.)
