Inspector, SI shifted after woman’s dying declaration

The CoP issued the orders after the woman repeated her accusations against the police officials in her dying declaration to the judicial magistrate. Inspector Sivamani and SI Kumar have been kept under vacancy reserve pending inquiry. 

Padmavathi (42), wife of Mohan, a history-sheeter, set herself ablaze at her Navallur Nedunchezhian Colony house in Chintadiripet on Sunday. 

She took the extreme step after SI Kumar, who had come to the house in search of Mohan, allegedly threatened her and asked the family to vacate the area. She had accused the SI of threatening and vowing to further harass the family if they continued to reside in the area. 

The Chindadiripet police had been visiting Padmavathi’s house in search of Mohan for the past one week as they had been picking up listed rowdies in the city. The woman and her four children were at home when the policemen came on Sunday. Unable to bear the torture, she doused herself with kerosene and set herself ablaze. 

She was rushed to Kilpauk Medical College where she died on Monday. However, her dying declaration was recorded in the presence of a judicial magistrate and the woman accused the police officials for abetting her suicide and complained about continuous harassment. 

Police sources said that if the allegations were proved, an FIR would be registered against the police officials. 

Sources added that the police will have to register an FIR against the erring officials as the woman had accused them in her dying declaration. However, at present the police have registered a case under 174 CrPC (unnatural death) and are investigating.