Five cops suspended in Chennai after ‘custodial death’, case transferred to CB-CID

Addressing reporters on Sunday evening, Chennai additional commissioner T S Anbu said the deceased had 27 criminal cases against him. “During the course of inquiry, he had health complications. He was taken to a nearby hospital on Sunday. The doctors declared that he was fine and he was taken back to the station, but later he had vomiting and other discomforts and was taken to the hospital again in the evening. There he was referred to Stanley Hospital,” the additional commissioner said.

“While on his way to the hospital, he died. We have registered a case under section 176(1)(A) of the CrPC, the judicial magistrate is going to conduct an inquiry into this incident. Based on his report, further action would be initiated,” he added. On the orders of senior officials, five officers including the inspector, sub-inspector and head constables of Kodungaiyur police station have been suspended, he said.

When questioned about custodial deaths taking place in the city, the additional commissioner said: “We cannot say it has been happening continuously… Can we stop the investigation then? Cases are getting registered and it is the duty of police officers to investigate the incident. Bringing the suspected accused for inquiry, arresting them by following procedures and remanding them has been the duty of officers.”

“We are constantly taking efforts to brief the inspector, sub-inspectors about the guidelines which includes that the accused cannot be kept in police custody at night, not to bring women and aged persons, etc. With a few incidents like this, it is not right to paint the police department in a different colour,” he said.

Last month, six policemen were booked in connection with the custodial death of a 25-year-old in Chennai. The deceased, identified as V Vignesh, was detained by the police in April for allegedly possessing drugs. While the cops initially booked a case of suspicious death, the autopsy report indicated 13 injuries on Vignesh’s body following which a murder charge was added to the case.