TN act tough on custodial deaths, CB-CID arrest 2 cops

The Tamil Nadu Police have arrested two cops in connection with one of the two back-to-back custodial deaths following heavy criticism from the general public.

The arrests on late Friday night was made in connection to the death of Vignesh, a Dalit who was taken into custody in Chennai on April 18 night and died the next morning.

Relatives of Vignesh have alleged that he died due to police torture and the post-mortem report has revealed that there were 13 injuries on his body, including a broken tibial bone on his right leg.

Vignesh and his friend Suresh, both habitual offenders, were taken into custody by the Secretariat police in Chennai on April 18.

The following morning, the police said he developed seizures and was taken to the Kilpauak government hospital where he was brought dead.

After his death, Vignesh's family staged protests and the state police had to suspend Sub-Inspector Pugazham Perumal, Constable Ponraj, and Home Guard Deepak of the Secretariat colony police station.

The Tamil Nadu CB-CID on late night arrested Ponraj and writer Manaf in connection to Vignesh's death.

The CB-CID questioned nine police personnel, including Perumal, sub-inspector Ganapathy, armed reserve police constable Karthik, Munaf, head constable Kumar, constable Anandhi.

In another incident, a 43-year-old man Thangamani was taken into custody by Tiruvannamalai police on April 26 alleging that he was into illicit brewing of liquor.

The next day, he developed seizures at the jail where he was remanded and breathed his last.

Thangamani's relatives complained that the police tried to influence them by paying a bribe but they did not accept and wanted an impartial inquiry into his death.