Tamil Nadu: Habitual offender dies by suicide at government hospital

COIMBATORE: A 38-year-old man, accused in several bike lifting cases, died after consuming poison at Pollachi Government Hospital on Thursday.
The deceased, K Kanthakumar of Mariamman Kovil Street in Pollachi, was facing eight motorcycle theft cases at Pollachi East, Mahalingapuram, Negamam, Pollachi Taluk police stations.
“Kanthakumar and his accomplice J Sarankumar, 27, of Pollachi, had stolen a motorcycle from Selvapuram police station limits in March. They sold the vehicle to M Manikandan, 29, of Pollachi. The Selvapuram police recently collected CCTV footage showing the duo stealing the bike. Police arrested Sarankumar and Manikandan on Wednesday, but could not nab Kanthakumar. Meanwhile, his body was found on the Pollachi Government Hospital premises on Thursday morning,” a police officer said.
“Preliminary inquiry revealed that Kanthakumar consumed poison fearing arrest,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kanthakumar’s wife Abhirami told Pollachi police that her husband took the extreme step as he suffered from severe asthma.
Police have registered a case under Section 174 CrPC that deals with unnatural or suspicious death. The body was handed over to the family after postmortem.