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In yet another incident of custodial death in Tamil Nadu, three officials of the Nagercoil sub-jail were arrested on July 14, after the post-mortem examination of a remand prisoner who died in custody found 19 injuries on his body.
The arrested officials are Chief Head Warden Thirumalai Nambi Suresh (50) of Kalakkad in Tirunelveli district, Warden Sivakumar (48) of Swamiyarmadam, and Warden Jegan (46), both from Kanniyakumari district. The three were subsequently placed under suspension.
S Sabari Varman (35), of Ethankadu near South Thamaraikulam, was arrested by the South Thamaraikulam police on July 9 after they allegedly seized around 200 grams of prohibited tobacco products from his grocery shop.
He was produced before a magistrate the same day, remanded to judicial custody, and lodged at the Nagercoil sub-jail.
The police claimed that Sabari Varman developed a sudden health issue in the early hours of July 13 while lodged in the sub-jail.
He was rushed to the Kanniyakumari Government Medical College Hospital at Asaripallam, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
However, his family alleged that he had been assaulted in prison, refused to receive his body, and demanded a fair investigation.
Following the family's demand, a panel of doctors from the Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, and Thoothukudi Government Medical College Hospitals conducted the post-mortem between noon and 2 pm on Tuesday in the presence of the district judge.
According to the post-mortem findings, Varman had sustained 19 injuries across his body, including on his hands, legs, chest, elbows, forearms and knees. His right arm was found to be fractured, while injury marks reportedly suggested that his hands and legs had been tied. Injuries were also found on his head and the back of his neck.
Police arrested the three prison officials after examining CCTV footage from the prison, questioning eyewitnesses and prison personnel, and considering the post-mortem findings.
A senior police officer told The Times of India that Varman had allegedly behaved "abnormally" inside the prison and threatened other inmates.
To bring him under control, one of the arrested officials allegedly assaulted him with his hands. The other two officials were arrested for allegedly concealing evidence, the officer said.
The officer added that five inmates who allegedly assisted in the incident had been identified and that further action would be taken after the investigation.
Reacting to Varman's death, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin said he was shocked and demanded an explanation from Chief Minister Vijay, who holds the Home portfolio.
"Varman was arrested after gutka was allegedly seized from his shop, but a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) functionary arrested in a similar gutka case was released on station bail the same day. One law for an ordinary citizen and another for a ruling party functionary is unacceptable," he said.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) demanded a judicial inquiry into the custodial death. State Secretary M Veerapandian called for a murder case to be registered if custodial assault is established, ₹25 lakh in compensation for the victim's family, and measures to prevent custodial deaths in the state.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vanathi Srinivasan condemned the incident, saying police stations and prisons are meant to uphold the rule of law and not function as "torture chambers".
"A healthy young man had died under suspicious circumstances in judicial custody, raising doubts of another Ajithkumar-like incident," she said.
Naam Tamilar Katchi chief coordinator Seeman alleged that Varman's death amounted to a custodial killing and said no accused person could be punished outside the due process of law.
He also questioned Chief Minister Vijay's silence, asking whether the government would register a murder case against the prison officials or attempt to shield them, as he alleged previous governments had done, by attributing the death to health complications.