Taxi driver in Tamil Nadu commits suicide alleging police harassment - Hindustan Times
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Taxi driver in Tamil Nadu commits suicide alleging police harassment

Chennai | ByPress Trust of India
Feb 01, 2019 08:26 AM IST

A taxi driver’s selfie video before he ended his life accusing police of harassing him and citing it as the reason for his suicide surfaced in social media days after his death, prompting authorities to initiate a probe.

A taxi driver’s selfie video before he ended his life accusing police of harassing him and citing it as the reason for his suicide surfaced in social media days after his death, prompting authorities to initiate a probe.

In the nearly four-minute video, Rajesh Murthy, before he killed himself last week by falling in front of a train in Chennai, accused police of harassing and abusing him on flimsy grounds on various occasions.(HT/Picture for representation)
In the nearly four-minute video, Rajesh Murthy, before he killed himself last week by falling in front of a train in Chennai, accused police of harassing and abusing him on flimsy grounds on various occasions.(HT/Picture for representation)

Chennai Police Commissioner AK Viswanathan, however, told PTI Thursday that a senior officer has been appointed to look into the claims made in the video and report within a week.

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In the nearly four-minute video, Rajesh Murthy, before he killed himself last week by falling in front of a train here, accused Chennai police officers of harassing and abusing him on flimsy grounds on various occasions.

“Police verbally abused me in the presence of a woman customer (occupant) when I had parked my vehicle in the parking zone. Yesterday when I sleeping inside my car, parked on a service road, police tried to lock and tow away my car and demanded money,” Murthy said.

According to a senior official in the government railway police, Murthy allegedly committed suicide near suburban Maraimalai Nagar railway station. Aged around 25, Murthy is a cab driver attached to a taxi aggregator.

Elaborating on the ordeals faced by cab drivers, he said, “We are making a livelihood despite several hardships. Chennai police is responsible for my death, none else.”

Murthy also alleged that authorities did not take any action on issues faced by drivers like him. “In Taramani, a person died similarly, was any action taken?.... I should be the last person to die (due to harassment),” Murthy said.

The commissioner said, “We have ordered an inquiry as we do not know the veracity of the claim. Even from his own statement, that did not warrant committing suicide. From whatever he said, it could have been reported to any of us and we would have taken action. We will see whether it was a true incident or he had any other motive to commit suicide. If it is a true incident, we will take action.”

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