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CUDDALORE: Tension gripped Kattumannarkoil town on Monday evening after K Santhosh (24), son of a local goldsmith, alleged that his father K Kamaraj (50) died by suicide after police assaulted him during an inquiry. Kamaraj’s family members and a few political party functionaries held a road blockade near the Kattumannarkoil police station demanding action against the police personnel.
According to sources, Kamaraj, who was running a jewel polishing shop at Kattumannarkoil, attended a friend’s birthday party at Periyar Nagar on Saturday night where he consumed alcohol. Later, he went to meet a woman in the same locality. Since he was loitering near the woman’s house, a woman neighbour questioned him and an argument broke out between them.
A few hours later, a team from the Kattumannarkoil police station arrived at the spot. As Kamaraj was in an inebriated state, he argued with the police personnel before leaving the spot. Some time later, he returned to the place with his son and both started arguing with the cops stationed there. After being warned of action, they left the spot on a bike, sources said.
Police said Kamaraj, on the way home, asked his son to stop the vehicle near his shop and went inside. When he came out, Kamaraj told his son that he had consumed poison. Santhosh took his father to the Kattumannarkoil GH where doctors declared him brought dead. Police sent the body to the Government Villupuram Medical College Hospital for autopsy. The report is awaited.
Santhosh filed a complaint on Monday alleging that police officers assaulted him and his father during the ruckus at Periyar Nagar which made his father commit suicide. The Kattumannarkoil police have registered a case under Section 194 of BNSS and are conducting inquiry. A senior police official said, “We are waiting for the autopsy report to determine if there was any assault by the police.” The situation led to a protest outside the Kattumannarkoil police station by Santhosh’s relatives and members of the VCK and CPM.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)
(If you have suicidal thoughts, call TN helpline at 104 or Sneha helpline at 044 24640050/24640060)