Farmer died allegedly due to police high-handedness: HC

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the state police to ensure that the policemen who allegedly attacked and caused the death of the 53-year-old Ariyalur farmer Sembulingam are not with the investigation team which has been probing the case.

Justice G Chandrasekharan passed the direction on hearing a petition filed by one R Karthikeyan, son-in-law of the deceased and a resident of Kasankottai village, Udayarpalayam Taluk, Ariyalur district.

The petitioner filed this petition for a direction to punish Vikkiramangalam police station’s Inspector Veluchamy, Sub-Inspector Balakrishnan, Special Sub-Inspector Pazhanivel, and five other cops who allegedly thrashed Sembulingam to death. Karthikeyan further wanted to transfer the case from state police to some other investigation agency.

When the matter was taken up for hearing, advocate K Balu for the petitioner submitted that the police has registered a case only under Section 174 of the IPC and the sub-inspector who was also an accused in the case is proceeding with the investigation.

However, the government advocate Santhosh informed the court that the investigation is proceeding on the right path and there are few developments in the case. The police have also submitted the autopsy report of the deceased man.

Recording the submission, the judge observed that the police should ensure that the policemen who allegedly attacked the farmer should not handle the case as well as they should be away from the investigation team.

According to the petitioner, a Sembulingam died on December 8 after he was attacked by a team of cops from Vikkiramangalam police station. “When the police visited Sembulingam’s house on November 25 to find the whereabouts of his son-in-law Arunkumar, the police brutally attacked the victim and his family members,” the petitioner stated.

The case has been adjourned to December 22.