Chennai: A 47-year-old remand prisoner, arrested on charges of illegally selling arrack, died in custody in Tiruvannamalai district, even as the main Opposition AIADMK raised the issue in the Tamilnadu Assembly demanding an explanation from the ruling DMK.
Thangamani, the remand prisoner, a tribal, died on 27 April a day after he was arrested and sent to judicial custody, while his family alleged that he died of police torture and submited a petition to the District Collector, who assured to order a detailed probe.
Police sources denied the charges of torture in custody and said he was sent to judicial remand after following due process of law including getting a fitness certificate from the Tiruvannamalai Government Medical College Hospital, before being lodged in sub-jail on April 26 evening.
However, he developed seizures the next day morning and admitted to the hospital where he was treated as out-patient and discharged in the evening and lodged back in the jail, where he developed seizures again and was taken to hospital. He died in the night despite being treated by a team of doctors.
The post mortem was conducted and there were no injuries in the body.
The family members refused to take the body and staged a protest alleging that he died of police torture in custody.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami raised the issue in the State Assembly during Zero Hour and demanded a CBI probe into it, besides adequate compensation to his family.
Replying to it, Chief Minister M K Stalin said post mortem was performed in the presence of a Judicial Magistrate and an investigation would be conducted on the basis of the report. Thereafter, the details would be disclosed in the House.