Rajasekar's custodial death in Chennai: What does the autopsy report reveal?

Days after the death of 33-year-old Rajasekar, who died in police custody, the autopsy report revealed that he had sustained injuries on his body before his death. He has sustained multiple external injuries but they weren't fatal.  

As per the autopsy report, Rajasekar was brought to the Government Stanley hospital in Chennai with complaints of dizziness and vomiting at 7.10 pm on June 12, from a private hospital. However, he was declared dead by the doctors. The post-mortem findings had highlighted the presence of four external injuries on his body and two of them were caused about 18-24 hours before his death. 

Those two injuries are contusions on his left thigh, present between his thigh joint and knee joint and another deep contusion on the front part of his right knee. Besides these, a linear abrasion was found on his right forearm and it could have been caused within 24 hours of his death. The report has stated that none of the injuries both individually or collectively would be sufficient to cause death. 

Rajasekar had died in police custody in the evening hours of Sunday - June 12, hours after he was apprehended in connection to a jewellery theft case. He was arrested by the Kodangaiyur police on Sunday and he had developed health discomforts during interrogation. Rajasekar had been on the list of 'B category' history-sheeter with the Sholavaram police and he had around 30 cases against him. Also known as Appu, Rajasekar had been a notorious figure in Chennai. 

He was arrested by the Kodungaiyur police over robbing jewellery and the police officials were questioning him at a police booth during which he collapsed due to health complications. After he complained of uneasiness, Rajashekar was taken to the Government Stanley Hospital for treatments. However, he was declared brought dead. His death caught major attention and Rajashekar's relatives had gathered at the hospital. 

His family and relatives had held protests by alleging that Rajashekar was picked up by the police two days ago and he was illegally detained and tortured in custody. They had urged the government to take appropriate actions against the responsible policemen. Following Rajasekar's death, Additional Commissioner of Chennai Anbu and Deputy Commissioner Rajeswari had inquired at the Kodangaiyur police station over who interrogated Rajashekar and where they questioned him.

Speaking to the reporters, Additional Commissioner Anbu said that the police shouldn't be painted badly through one or two events. Hours after the death of Rajasekar, the Chennai Police Commissioner has launched a probe into the former's death and transferred the case to the CB-CID (Crime Branch, Crime Investigation Department) Police.

The Commissioner has also suspended five policemen who arrested Rajasekar. The five suspended policemen have been identified as Kodangaiyur Station House Officer (SHO) George Miller Ponraj, Sub-Inspector Kanniappan, head constables Jaysekar and Manivannan, and constable Sathyamoorthy. On Tuesday - June 14, Rajasekar's mother Usha Rani had approached the State Human Rights Commission and the latter had then directed the Chennai Police Commissioner to submit a report within four weeks. 

 

 

 

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