Youth dies in police custody

A 25-year-old man died in police custody on Tuesday at the Secretariat Colony station where he was taken for an inquiry.

The police said he died of illness and there was no excess on their part. During a vehicle check on Monday night, the police stopped two men travelling in an autorickshaw near Kellys Signal.

As the two had bruises on them, the police questioned them. When the two gave evasive replies, the police searched the auto and found ganja and liquor bottles. When the two men were asked to come to the station for inquiry, they allegedly abused the police and attempted to attack them with a knife.

The police overpowered the accused and seized ganja and liquor bottles.

The accused were identified as G. Suresh alias “Jollu” Suresh, 28, of Triplicane and Vignesh alias Vigna, 25 of Pattinapakkam.

The police said the two were booked for possession of ganja and for attempting to assault police personnel.

About 50 g of ganja, liquor bottles, a knife and an autorickshaw were seized from them. Suresh has six criminal cases, including two murder cases and two robberies, against him and Vignesh was wanted in four cases, including two robbery cases.

A senior police officer said that on Tuesday the two had breakfast at the station. After some time, Vignesh started vomiting and had seizures.

The inspector and other personnel took him to a private hospital. Since his pulse rate was down, the doctor there advised them to go to a government hospital. He was rushed to the Government Kilpauk Hospital where he was declared as brought dead.

On information, senior police officers conducted inquiries. A case of suspicious death has been registered and a judicial magistrate conducted a probe in the hospital.

A youth died in custody on Tuesday at the Secretariat Colony police station where he was taken for an inquiry.

During a vehicle check on Monday night, the police intercepted two youths on an autorickshaw near Kellys and found ganja and a knife concealed among their belongings. Vignesh and Ramesh of Pattinapakkam were taken to the Secretariat Colony police station and interrogated.

A senior police officer said Vignesh, who had ill-health, was having food in the morning when he fainted, and there were no police excesses. He was rushed to Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital where he was declared brought dead, he said.

Another officer said the youth died after seizure and ruled out excesses on the part of the police.