Nagercoil, July 16:
Police have arrested eight inmates in connection with the custodial death of remand prisoner and businessman Sabarivarman at the sub-jail in Nagercoil. The arrests follow earlier action against three jail warders, who have since been suspended, as investigators widen the probe to determine whether more individuals were involved in the alleged assault.
The development comes after a postmortem conducted at the Government Medical College Hospital in Asaripallam confirmed that the victim had sustained as many as 19 injuries, indicating a brutal attack inside the prison premises. Based on the findings, police registered a case of murder and intensified their investigation into the circumstances leading to his death.
Officials said the eight inmatesāidentified as Vishnu (21), Sarathi (19), Jegan (40), Sarath (20), Veriyaperumal (36), Sethuram (30), Ajith (29) and Aravind (27)āhave been taken into custody and booked for murder. Preliminary inquiries suggest that the assault occurred on the night of July 12 following an argument between Sabarivarman and a group of fellow inmates.
Investigators further revealed that the victim was allegedly restrained, with his hands and legs tied, before being assaulted by inmates along with prison staff. He reportedly lost consciousness after sustaining multiple injuries. Prison authorities later shifted him to the Government Medical College Hospital in Asaripallam, where he is believed to have died en route.
Police are continuing to question both inmates and warders as part of the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, the victimās family has refused to accept the body for the third consecutive day, demanding justice, compensation and a government job for a family member. The protest has drawn support from local political groups and members of the public outside the hospital.