Custodial death of Tenkasi farmer: Madras high court directs police to submit status report

MADURAI: The Madras high court on Tuesday directed the Tenkasi district police to submit a status report, postmortem report and videograph of postmortem in a sealed cover in connection with the death of a man who was tortured by forest officials.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Palammal of Vaagaikulam who sought a CB-CID probe into the custodial death of her husband, Anaikkarai Muthu,70.
Anaikkarai Muthu was picked up by forest department officials for inquiry as he had allegedly electrified his fence to protect the crops from wild animals.
The counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that the postmortem was performed on July 23 night by violating the norms.
State public prosecutor A Natarajan submitted that based on the request of the Tenkasi district collector, who apprehended law and order problem, postmortem had been performed in the presence of a judicial magistrate.
Taking cognizance of the submissions, Justice R Pongiappan directed the police to submit the status report, postmortem report along with the videograph in a sealed cover on July 29.
Palammal stated that she and her husband who are residents were doing agriculture in a land owned by them. Around 11pm on July 22, five officials from the forest department came to her house and took her husband for an inquiry.
She stated that her husband died due to custodial torture by the forest officials. He was declared “brought dead” by the doctors in Tenkasi Government Hospital around 1am on July 23.
She stated that a case was registered under Section 176 (1A) of the CrPC and the judicial magistrate was also conducting inquest in this regard. She said the postmortem had been performed in a hurried manner.
On Saturday, Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced Rs 10 lakh compensation government job for a family member.