Tamil Nadu: Six policemen arrested in connection with custodial death of Vignesh

Initially, a case of suspicious death was registered following the death of Vignesh. After an autopsy report indicated 13 injuries on the body of Vignesh, the case was altered to that of murder.

The clippings were of different newspapers reporting about crime against women, particularly rape, which created a controversy when right-wing groups protested and termed it as "hurting religious sentiments". (Representational)

Six policemen have been arrested by the Crime Branch-CID police on Saturday in connection with the custodial death of V Vignesh last month, said police sources.

Initially, a case of suspicious death was registered following the death of Vignesh. Later after an autopsy report, which indicated 13 injuries on the body of Vignesh who died on April 19, the case was altered to that of murder.

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Sources in the CB-CID confirmed the arrest of the six, including a home guard. They said the six were produced before a court here and remanded. Two of them were arrested on Friday while four others were arrested today.

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On April 18, two young men – Vignesh and Suresh – were detained by the police here during a vehicle-check, and ganja and liquor bottles were seized from the autorickshaw the duo was travelling in. They were taken to the Secretariat Colony police station and the following day Vignesh developed seizures after breakfast and the doctors declared him as “brought dead.” A police sub-inspector, a constable and a member of the Home Guards were suspended and probe was initially into suspicious death of the suspect. The case was handed over to the CB-CID following an outcry against custodial deaths.

Arun Halder, vice-chairman of the National Commission of Scheduled Castes, (NCSC), who conducted an inquiry on Wednesday into the death of Vignesh, had said the Prevention of Atrocity Act was subsequently added.

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