A 60-year-old man was found dead inside the room of a sub-inspector at the Bazaar Street Police Station in Coimbatore on Wednesday (August 6, 2025), making allegations of custodial death.
However, Coimbatore City Police Commissioner A. Sarawana Sundar denied the allegations, and claimed that it was a case of suicide.
The identity of the deceased was identified by A. resident of Kamarajar Nagar in Ramchtipalayam near Perur. Has been done as Rajan.
The commissioner told reporters that Rajan had come to the police station on Tuesday (August 5) at 11.19 am and told Constable Senthil Kumar, who was on duty as the station sentry, that he was being chased by a group of people. Since no suspicious agitation of people was found outside the station, Mr. Senthil Kumar asked him to go home and return on Wednesday morning.
“The man went to the first floor of the station via a ladder (inside the building) when the constable was participating in an official call inside the station. The man entered the SI room of the investigation wing and finished his life. The constable did not know that the man went to the first floor,” according to Mr. Sundar.
The commissioner claimed that the death came to light when SI went to his room on Wednesday morning after a roll call. The room was found closed from inside. The SI opened the room using the force after waiting for some time, and found Rajan dead.
He said that the body was transferred to Morchari of Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, and an inquiry would be done by a magistrate.
The commissioner said that Rajan got down from a private bus at Prakasam bus stop and went to the police post in the town hall at 11.15 am on Tuesday. After spending five minutes at the outpost, he went to the market street police station via Pothi’s junction.
He said, “The deceased was identified with a pocket diary.
‘Contacted Magistrate’
Deputy Commissioner of Police of Coimbatore South. Karthikeyan said that Rajan approached a magistrate on Tuesday morning and said that he was being followed by a group of people chasing. In turn, the magistrate directed the Perur police to investigate the matter, as it was from the boundary of the Perur police station. Rajan later wandered in different parts of the city, before going to the market street police station at night, Mr. Kartikeyan said.
The official said that constable Senthil Kumar and Investigation Wing C Nagraj were transferred to the armed reserve regarding the incident.
Mr. Sundar said that only one policeman was present at the station when the incident took place. He said that disciplinary action will be initiated against police personnel for negligence, which led to alleged suicide.
(Assistance to overcome suicidal ideas is available at the state health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050).
Published – August 06, 2025 01:37 pm IST