47-year-old farmer dies after being attacked by policeman in Tamil Nadu

In yet another case of police brutality, a 47-year-old farmer in Salem district on Wednesday succumbed to injuries inflicted on him by a policeman, who allegedly trashed him with a lathi in full public view

Periyasamy, the Special Sub-inspector (SSI), who is accused of assaulting the farmer, Murugesan, is now in police custody after a criminal case was registered against him. The Salem District Police has also placed Periyasamy under suspension.

The incident took place at the Pappinaickenpatti check-post in Salem district on Tuesday evening when Murugesan and two others were returning from neighbouring Kallakurichi district. Police sources said the trio were returning after consuming liquor at a TASMAC shop as the outlets in their district are still closed due to Covid-19 lockdown.

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A video that has now gone viral shows Murugesan pleading with the SSI not to trash him. However, the fervent pleas of the hapless farmers fell in the deaf ears of the policeman who continued to trash Murugesan till he crashed. The video also showed three other policemen were on duty.

Police sources said the preliminary inquiry points to an argument between Murugesan and Periyasamy who was manning the check-post. Since Murugesan was in an inebriated state, the sources said, he picked up a fight with a policeman, and the argument culminated in an assault. The trio was riding a motorcycle.

“The policeman who is accused (of trashing the farmer) has been picked up. He is being questioned. We have already placed him under suspension,” M Sree Abhinav, Superintendent of Police, Salem District, told DH.

Annakali, the dead farmer’s wife, wanted action against all four policemen who were manning the checkpost. After the incident, she said, the family took her husband to Attur Government Hospital from where he was referred to the government facility in Salem where he breathed his last on Wednesday morning.

The incident led to an uproar with many seeking strict action against policemen who take the law into their hands. DMK MP Kanimozhi said policemen should change from the pre-May 7 mindset taking a dig at the previous AIADMK Government. “They (policemen) should realise that DMK government is for the people,” she tweeted.

The State Human Rights Commission (SRHC) also took suo moto cognizance of the incident and asked authorities to submit a report within four weeks.

Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami and PMK founder S Ramadoss condemned the incident and demanded Rs 1 crore as compensation to the family. The police brutality came on the first death anniversary of a father and son duo who were killed in police custody.