Custodial death: 8 cops appear before CB-CID

CHENNAI: Eight personnel, including inspector Senthil Kumar and sub-inspector of police Pugazhum Perumal and a Home Guard member appeared before the CB-CID investigation officer on Friday in connection with the custodial death of V Vignesh, 25, at the Secretariat Colony police station on April 19.

Vignesh died on April 19, a day after he and his friend were detained by the Secretariat Colony police for allegedly possessing drugs.

Others, who were summoned by the CB-CID sleuths, are SI Ganapathi, constable Ponraj, Home Guard member Deepak, writer Munaf, head constable Kumar, AR driver Karthik and woman constable Ananthi.

Three personnel - SI Pugazhum Perumal, constable Ponraj and Deepak from Home Guard - were already placed under suspension.

Meanwhile, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Friday called for a report from the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner in connection with the alleged custodial death of Vignesh.

The SHRC took suo motu cognizance of media reports over the incident and called for a report from the Chennai Police Commissioner within four weeks. A notice issued by the body says that the matter will be listed for further consideration before the Commission after four weeks.

Earlier, the Executive Director of People’s Watch Henri Tiphagne has written to the Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission asking it to take suo motu cognisance of the custodial death. Vignesh was taken into custody by the Secretariat Colony police station, along with Suresh, a construction worker, on April 18. Police said that the next day, Vignesh had a seizure and died while being taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission on Saturday, April 23, registered a case regarding the custodial death of Vignesh following a complaint. On Friday, April 22, the probe into the case was transferred to the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID).

In the post mortem report it was said that Vignesh had suffered 13 serious injuries.