Ill-treated by cops, jeweller ends life in Thanjavur

TIRUCHY: A Thanjavur jeweller, who was called for an inquiry on charges that he had bought stolen jewels and dejected after the police reportedly insulted him, commited suicide on Monday.

Sources said that Rajasekaran (58), a small time jeweller from Pattukkottai and a former CPI town secretary, was summoned by the KK Nagar police in Tiruchy on June 22 for an inquiry in connection with the purchase of stolen jewels.

The police also picked up Rajasekaran’s wife Lakshmi for the inquiry. It is said that SI Uma Sankari had reportedly called called the couple thieves and accused that they had nexus with burglars. Moreover, the police reportedly did not give a chance for the couple to explain their side.After intervention of other jewellers from Pattukkottai, police let off the couple on Sunday. Ever since he returned home, Rajasekaran appeared to be dejected and on Sunday night, he informed the family members that he was going to the shop and left the house. However, he jumped in front of the Velankanni-Ernakulam Express at Chettiyakadu around 9.30 pm and ended his life.

Tiruvarur railway police inspector Santhi retrieved the body and sent it to Pattukkottai GH. Jewellery shop owners association, goldsmiths union, traders union and CPI MLA (Thiruthuraipoondi) Marimuthu and various other organisations assembled in front of the Pattukkottai GH and staged a protest.

RDO Prabakaran, Tahsildhar Ramachandran, ADSP Rajmohan and other officials held talks and informed that SI Uma Sankari had been put on waiting list. Traders then withdrew the protest and accepted the body.