A dalit man from Varanatharappilli in Thrissur died while in police custody in Tamil Nadu as per a report in The Times of India.
Pudukkard police identified the victim as 42-year-old Thiruvanchikkulam Yogesh, hailing from Kalavarakkunnu near Varantharappilli.
Relatives of Yogesh, who died in hospital on Saturday night, have accused the Tamil Nadu police of torture.
According to information available with Pudukkad police, Yogesh was among four people who were picked up from the state by a special investigating team (SIT) that was formed by the Tamil Nadu police to probe a highway robbery case.
The robbery had taken place at Madukkarai in Tamil Nadu and involved gold valued at around Rs 3 crore.
A gang led by Kodali Sreedharan, who is wanted in several cases, allegedly carried out the heist, the report says.
Pudukkad police claimed that Tamil Nadu police had not officially informed them about Yogesh’s arrest or his death.
According to them, they got wind of the arrest only after the family members of one of the gang members picked up by the TN police approached them, the report adds.
Following this, Kerala police intercepted the Tamil Nadu police vehicle 10 days later and its occupants revealed that they were part of the SIT.
All the four persons apprehended by the Tamil Nadu police including Yogesh, were remanded in judicial custody, as per the Kerala police.
Yogesh complained of chest pain and was taken to hospital, where he succumbed later.
Meanwhile, family members of Yogesh have alleged that he died of custodial torture by the Tamil Nadu police. Further, they said they had complained to Varantharappilli police who told them that the Tamil Nadu police denied any torture.
Yogesh’s brother Babu alleged that he was picked up by the Tamil Nadu police on April 10 but a case was charged only four days later.
“When we went to see him at Coimbatore on April 13, he was unable to walk and was on a wheelchair. The Tamil Nadu police informed us on Saturday that Yogesh was having breathing difficulties. But by the time we reached the government hospital at Coimbatore, he was dead,” Babu said.