Stalin orders CB-CID probe into ‘custodial death’ of differently-abled dalit man

Chennai: Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Monday ordered a crime branch-criminal investigation department (CB-CID) probe into the alleged custodial death of a 45-year-old differently-abled dalit man, who died on January 12

Chennai: Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Monday ordered a crime branch-criminal investigation department (CB-CID) probe into the alleged custodial death of a 45-year-old differently-abled dalit man, who died on January 12.

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Three policemen have been suspended in connection with the case.

P Hamsala, 32, the wife of the deceased, A Prabhakaran, has alleged that they were picked up on January 8 by the police from their residence in Salem on suspicion of theft.

Speaking from her home, Hamsala said that around 3pm on January 8, Prabhakaran and her were working in their house when four plainclothes police officers, including a woman, barged in. “The woman police hit me while the men hit my husband. But at that time, we didn’t even know that they were police officials. My husband kept screaming for help and neighbours began to come,” Hamsala said, adding that their 12-year-son began filming the incident but the police snatched away his phone.

Prabhakaran was immobile from the waist down due to recent health complications, she said.

According to Hamsala, the couple were them taken in a taxi to the Sendamangalam police quarters in Namakkal district and that’s when they realised that those present were police personnel.

“We were neither taken to jail, nor to court. The cops told us that they will buy food for us and take care of us if we do as they say,” said Hamsala.

She said they were beaten to accept the theft of 120 sovereigns of gold. “My husband cannot move without my help. For three days, the police have watched me feed him, assist him when he had to use the restroom. How are we capable of any crime,” asked Hamsala.

“For three days, they gave us food and continuously beat us. But they were careful that our wounds shouldn’t show so they hit us both in our palms and heels so that there is no swelling and no cuts and blood,” she added.

The police produced the couple in a local court on January 11. Hamsala said when the magistrate asked if their families were informed that they are in custody, the police replied in the affirmative and when asked if they were beaten, they had denied it. “They didn’t let us speak. After that they took me to the Salem prison for women. I had no clue about my husband,” Hamsala said.

Hamsala said she was chased out of the jail by officials the next day and learnt of Prabhakaran’s death. “Suddenly that morning, they chased me out of the jail and my younger brother was waiting outside for me and he told me,” she said. “I still cannot believe that they did this to us. My husband is fully disabled. How could they torture him like that? And he’s innocent.” Hamsala said.

Following news of Prabhakaran’s death, the family and local cadre of DMK ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK- formerly known as the Dalit Panthers of India) began protests demanding action against the police.

“If the police had suspected the deceased of committing a theft, they should have conducted investigations in a proper manner. How can they be so brutal?” said S Namburajan, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers (TARATDAC).

On January 15, DIG (Salem range) Praveen Kumar Abinapu suspended three police officers– sub-inspector of Sendamangalam, A Chandran, sub-inspector of Puduchatram police station L Poonkodi and a cop named Kulanthaivel from Tiruchengode rural police station. A post-mortem was conducted on Prabhakaran the same day.

“We demand that the accused police be booked under provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989 and for murder under the IPC,” said Namburajan.

On Monday, political leaders from the AIADMK, BJP and CPI (M) hit out at the state government questioning the use of excess force by police.

In a statement on Monday, chief minister Stalin said the deceased was being treated in the ICU of the neurology department in Salem where he died on January 12 at 11.40pm.

Expressing pain over the death, Stalin said,“I’ve ordered for this case to be probed by the CB-CID.” He also ordered a solatium of ₹10 lakh to be paid to the family.

“I still cannot believe this is real,” said Hamsala hoping she gets justice. “My son and I, are the only eyewitnesses,” she said.