Even before the storm triggered by the arrest of 10 policemen of the Sattankulam Police Station, from the Inspector of Police to constables -- in connection with the deaths of traders P. Jayaraj and J. Benicks – has subsided, the Inspector of Police of nearby Thattarmadam Police Station has been booked in a case of abduction and murder of a youth, allegedly orchestrated in connivance with an AIADMK functionary and his supporters.
While Inspector of Police, Thattarmadam, Harikrishnan has been cited as the first accused in the abduction and subsequent murder of S. Selvan, 30, of Chokkankudiyiruppu under the Thattaarmadam police station limits, AIADMK functionary M. Thirumanavel of Usaraththukudiyiruppu and a few others have also been cited as accused in the gruesome murder that has rocked the Sattankulam Police Sub-Division, within 90 days of the deaths of Jayaraj and Benicks.
When Selvan, a packaged drinking water seller, was returning home on his two-wheeler on Thursday, he was knocked down by a speeding car, as he was crossing Kozhunthattu near Chokkankudiyiruppu around 1.30 p.m. As Selvan fell on the ground, the occupants of the car abducted him. After a couple of hours, the body of Selvan was found lying in a forest area close to Kadakulam, and it was subsequently taken to Thisaiyanvilai Government Hospital by passers-by who thought that he was alive. However, the doctors there declared Selvan ‘brought dead’.
On getting information about the incident, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sattankulam, Godwin Jagadeesh and Harikrishnan rushed to the spot and conducted an inquiry with the family of Selvan, who accused Harikrishnan of being the brains behind the murder.
After 1.75 acres of land of Selvan’s family was allegedly encroached upon by AIADMK functionary Thirumanavel after the latter purchased an adjacent plot of land in 2019 from Selvan’s uncles, enmity broke out between them. Even though Thirumanavel exerted pressure on Selvan’s family to sell their land also to him, the family resisted.
“Agitated over this, Thirumanavel, who managed to develop a friendship with Inspector of Police of Thattaarmadam (Harikrishnan) for obvious reasons, got cases registered against my sons Selvan, Panguraj alias Rajan and Peter Raja, who were beaten up by the police officer on several occasions whenever the cases were registered, based on complaints from Thirumanavel. Even when supporters of Thirumanavel misused the illegally-occupied land for making country bombs, the complaint preferred by my son Peter was not entertained. Instead, a fake case was registered against my sons again,” S. Elizabeth, 77-year-old mother of Selvan, said in her complaint submitted with Thisaiyanvilai police as the body was taken to the Thisaiyanvilai Government Hospital.
Against this backdrop, Thirumanavel and his supporters allegedly thrashed Panguraj on January 19 and he was subsequently admitted to the Tirunelveli Government Medical College Hospital.
“However, Harikrishnan got my son discharged from the hospital and took him directly to the police station where he was hung upside down from the roof of the police station and thrashed. Even after my son filed a complaint with the State Human Rights Commission, Harikrishnan’s torture continued, forcing my sons to approach the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court explaining the threats they were facing from the police officer while seeking anticipatory bail. Enraged over this, Harikrishnan has orchestrated the murder of Selvan with the help of Thirumanavel who has abducted and murdered my son along with his supporters,” Mrs. Elizabeth alleged.
Mrs. Elizabeth said her son’s body had grievous multiple injuries all over, when she saw it at the Thisaiyanvilai Government Hospital.
Based on the complaint from Mrs. Elizabeth, the Thisaiyanvilai police have registered case against Harikrishnan, Thirumanavel and a few others under Sections 107 (conspiracy), 336 (rashly or negligently endangering human life), 302 (culpable homicide by causing death of a person) and 364 (kidnapping or abducting any person in order that such person may be murdered).
“We’ve formed special teams to nab all the accused,” said N. Manivannan, Superintendent of Police. Since the scene of crime falls under Thattarmadam police station limits, the case will soon be transferred by the Thisaiyanvilai police to their Thattarmadam counterparts.
This is the third murder case to be registered against the police in the Sattankulam Police Sub-Division after the deaths of Jayaraj and Benicks and construction worker Mahendran of Srivenkateswarapuram near Peikulam, both under the Sattankulam police station limits.
While the CBI is handling the custodial deaths of Jayaraj and Benicks, the State government’s CB-CID is investigating the mysterious death of Mahendran, who died in hospital after being allegedly thrashed by the then Sattankulam Sub-Inspector Raghu Ganesh, who is behind bars after being arrested in connection with the Jayaraj and Benicks custodial deaths.
