TENKASI: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Thursday imposed a total fine of Rs 4 lakh on two policemen who brutally assaulted an autorickshaw driver, which resulted in his death in hospital in 2020, and recommended disciplinary action against them.
In his order, SHRC member V Kannadasan said the victim, N Kumaresan (25), was brutally beaten by the respondents - Sub-Inspector Chandrasekar and constable Kumar- as confirmed by the postmortem report and oral evidence of doctors of Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH). He also observed that Dr Jilsha of VK Pudur Government Hospital, submitted false evidence before the commission in support of the police personnel.
“Kumaresan was called to the police station for an inquiry into a land dispute he allegedly had with Senthil in 2020. When he went there, Kumaresan was slapped by Chandrasekar in front of his father A Navaneethakrishnan. He was again called to the station two days later, when the SI and Kumar assaulted him brutally on his chest, penis, back, and thighs,” according to the submission of the complainant Navaneethakrishnan.
Kumaresan was admitted to TvMCH, where he died on June 27, 2020, after 14 days of treatment. Based on the submissions of Dr Jenu Santhosh and Dr Sanjiv Pandian of TvMCH, Kannadasan concluded that Kumaresan was brutally attacked, resulting in multiple organ failure. He also pointed to nine healed scars mentioned in the postmortem report. The SHRC directed the Tamil Nadu government to pay compensation of Rs 4 lakh to Navaneethakrishnan and recover Rs 2 lakh each from Chandrasekar and Kumar.
It also recommended disciplinary action against the two.