Chennai custodial death: Autopsy reveals 4 injuries; cops claim innocence

The preliminary autopsy report of alleged Chennai custodial death victim S Rajasekar (33) has revealed there were four injuries on multiple parts of the body, of which three were caused within 24 hours before his death.

However, T S Anbu, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law & Order), North, Greater Chennai Police, says that police have nothing to do with the death of Rajasekar.

According to the autopsy report, Rajasekar’s four injuries included those on his hand and legs. There was a dark reddish linear abrasion on the right forearm, a dark reddish contusion on the anterior aspect of the left thigh, and a diffused dark reddish deep contusion on front of the right knee and 12 linear dark brownish-red abrasions on the back of the left leg.

‘Injuries not enough to cause death’

Apart from the 12 linear abrasions on the back of the left leg, preliminary observations found that the other three injuries were caused within 24 hours prior to his death. More specifically, contusions on the left thigh and one on the right knee were caused between 18-24 hours prior to his death, according to the report.

Also read: Yet another custodial death rocks Chennai; family refutes TN police version

However, Dr S Balasubramanian, professor, the forensic department at the Stanley Medical College, said in the report that these injuries generally were not sufficient to cause death.

Rajasekar’s family though has refused to believe the report and has sought video footage of the autopsy. “We don’t believe the report because we saw the injury marks and he was bleeding from his mouth. We demand the government to give us a copy of the video footage of the autopsy, so that we could know what exactly happened during the autopsy,” said Usha Rani, mother of Rajasekar. The family also claimed that the police had picked Rajasekar on Saturday morning.

Report shows no torture, police says

However, according to TS Anbu, Rajasekar “was picked for inquiry at 8 am (on Sunday) and he was taken to a private hospital when he said he was not well”.

“Autopsy report reveals that he was not tortured during police custody. So, police have nothing to do with the death of Rajasekar,” he said.

Asked why he was kept at a police outpost booth instead of a police station, Anbu said there was nothing wrong in conducting an inquiry at a police booth.

Also read: Tiruvannamalai custodial death: Autopsy hints at torture; police deny charge

It may be recalled that Rajasekar, a 33-year-old history-sheeter, was taken by Kodungaiyur police for interrogation in connection with a break-in case. He died on Sunday while in police custody.