Cellmate murders life convict in Coimbatore Central Prison

Coimbatore: A 56-year-old life convict, who passed away on Wednesday at the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), was murdered by one his cell mates in the Coimbatore Central Prison, police sources said.
The victim, M Ramasamy of Pothampalayam village in Tirupur, had complained of chest pain around 3am on Wednesday. Prison authorities rushed him to CMCH, where he died without responding to treatment. Doctors who conducted postmortem found that he had sustained severe injuries on his head.

Ramasamy was lodged in the eight block of the prison in September 2015 in connection with a murder case, a police officer said. “He shared the cell with life convicts Subramaniam and Ramesh. Ramasamy’s relatives used to visit him often and give him money. Ramesh demanded some money from Ramasamy, who refused. In a fit of rage, Ramesh smashed Ramasamy’s head on the floor,” a police officer said.

Judicial magistrate Velusamy visited the prison on Thursday and held inquiry with Ramesh and Subramaniam.

Police sources said that the postmortem report will be sent to the judicial magistrate. After the report is received, the case will be altered to 303 (punishment for murder by life convict) from section 176 (i) (a) of CrPC.

Prison authorities shifted Ramesh and Subramaniam to another cells on Thursday evening.