Relatives of the woman Usha (36) who reportedly fell to her death after a policeman kicked the vehicle she was riding pillion on, on Wednesday night refused to accept her body on Thursday.
They protested after the autopsy at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, demanding a case of murder be booked against the police official — traffic inspector Kamaraj.
The charge should be for committing two murders: the woman and the child in her womb, relatives demanded. Usha had been three months pregnant, they said. This claim was strongly backed by members of CPI, CPI (M), Makkal Adhigaram, and a few other outfits.
According to the victim’s husband Raja (40), who was riding the bike and admitted with injuries to the hospital, the police official who was in their pursuit (for not wearing helmet) on his two-wheeler had kicked their bike thrice and that his wife lost balance and fell on the road when the third kick landed on her. “She immediately lost consciousness due to heavy bleeding from the head and died on the spot. It was a premeditated murder,” an inconsolable Mr. Raja told mediapersons at the hospital.
The traffic inspector who was arrested late on Wednesday night after a massive public protest was charged under IPC sections 304 (ii) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and under 336 (endangering the safety of others).
The inspector, lodged in the Tiruchi Central Prison, has been issued an order of suspension, police sources said.
