A 24-year-old employee of a state government-run liquor outlet died on Thursday, days after he had been detained in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district, with police denying his family’s allegations of death due to custodial torture.
Market Context
According to police, N Arunachalam, a resident of Amudha Nagar and a salesperson at Tasmac (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation) outlet was found in possession of 120 liquor bottles of 180 ml each, during a check and was detained on July 17 for his alleged involvement in the illegal liquor sale.
He was booked under various sections of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act and was arrested and his family members informed, police said.
A senior police officer said on July 17 he was taken to the district government hospital for medical test and a doctor declared that there were no external injuries on him.
“After the medical examination, he was brought back to the Thoothukudi South police station to complete legal formalities and was kept in the lock-up along with other accused who were in the police station” he said.
Noting that Arunachalam was conversing with other inmates inside the lock-up regularly, the officer said, he suddenly collapsed inside the lock-up and the incident was recorded on the surveillance cameras located nearby.
Immediately, police personnel provided first-aid and his mother who was present at the police station was also called, the officer said.
The Tuticorin police released CCTV footage purportedly showing Arunachalam suddenly collapsing inside the police lock-up.
“As his condition appeared normal, he was released on station bail and sent with his relatives for a further medical check-up and the same was recorded in surveillance camera of the police station,” the officer said.
The relatives informed the police that he again collapsed near the hospital and was admitted for treatment. “During the course of treatment, he underwent a medical procedure. Despite treatment, he was declared dead on July 23,” the officer said.
Following his death, a case was registered based on a complaint lodged by his father, and further investigation is under way, a statement by Tuticorin police said.
The family members of Arunachalam staged a protest alleging that he died due to custodial torture and he was hit by three to four police personnel.
Victim’s mother Parameswari told reporters that Arunachalam sustained grievous injuries on the head and legs due to police assault. She demanded that investigation be conducted over his alleged death. “I want justice and will not allow autopsy of his body till fair investigation is done,” she said.
Competitor Comparison
Former minister in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) regime and senior party leader Geetha Jeevan met the family of the victim and pacified them.
Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, commenting about the incident, said, “It is deeply painful that the youth Arunachalam, who was taken in for questioning in Thoothukudi, has died after being subjected to police assault.”
“Since, the chief minister who holds responsibility for the department, remains silent without taking strict action during custodial deaths, such incidents continue to happen repeatedly,” he wrote in a social media post.
