Pocso accused consumes poison in judicial remand, dies in Chennai hospital

A 28-year-old Pocso accused in Cuddalore district who consumed poison in judicial remand a week ago died without responding to treatment at the Government Stanley Hospital in the city on Wednesday.

While the deceased R Lokesh alias Santhosh of Pinnalur allegedly initially claimed that he consumed rat poison at the office of the Cuddalore police superintendent’s office, police after inquiry confirmed that the incident happened at the prison in Chidambaram even before he was being taken to the court in Cuddalore since there was no rat poison kept at the SP office.

Police said Lokesh was arrested by Sethiahthoppu police last year for marrying a minor girl after abandoning his first wife and child. While he went absconding after coming out on bail, he was recently arrested again and remanded in Chidambaram prison.

Cuddalore SP Shakthi Ganesan said inquiries have confirmed that Lokesh consumed the poison in the prison and added a separate complaint has been received from the jailor about the incident and a case has been registered.