VIRUDHUNAGAR: After a 33-year-old disabled man died by suicide, allegedly due to police torture over liquor sales in the locality, the residents of Nakkaneri village staged a protest on Tuesday.
The deceased was identified as S Selvakumar. The incident came to light after the family members found Selvakumar’s suicide letter in the morning. In the letter, Selvakumar said he used to sell liquor illegally in 2020 and was arrested many times.
However, he quit that line of work and was buying a limited portion of alcohol every day from Dhalavaipuram for his personal consumption. A while ago, the police seized his two-wheeler and levied a fine of Rs 11,500. He got his vehicle after paying the fine.
However, a week later the police allegedly tortured him to pay a fine of Rs 11,500, following which Selvakumar started a soup shop to source the funds.
“Recently, I was carrying liquor bottles in my vehicle for the workers in my shop and the police seized my vehicle,” he alleged in the suicide note. Selvakumar further sought action against the police officials who attacked him and his wife.
A senior police officer said in the last four years, 14 cases were booked against Selvakumar for illegal liquor sales. The last time his vehicle was seized, he had 27 bottles of alcohol on him, which is not permitted. Meanwhile, a probe is on to determine if Selvakumar’s allegations are true.
(Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on TN’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)