By The Hindu Bureau

Copyright thehindu

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Thursday recommended the Tamil Nadu government to pay compensation of ₹4 lakh to a man in Tenkasi district, whose son died of injuries inflicted by police personnel in 2020. SHRC member V. Kannadasan also recommended initiating disciplinary proceedings against the two policemen and further recommended recovering a sum of ₹2 lakh from each of them.

Considering the oral and documentary evidence of the parties and also the arguments put forth by them, the Commission was of the considered opinion that the deceased Kumaresan was assaulted and tortured by then Sub Inspector Chandrasekar and police constable Kumar both of whom were then attached to Veerakeralampudur Police Station in Tenkasi district.

The respondent policemen were fully responsible for the injuries caused to the deceased, the Commission said. It further said that the respondents also failed to establish their version that the deceased was an alcoholic and that he had died due to the complications of alcoholism. The respondents had caused the death and had violated the human rights of the complainant, the Commission said.

According to the complaint by A. Navaneethakrishnan, his son Kumaresan, an autodriver, was assaulted by the respondent policemen, in connection with the enquiry of a property dispute in May 2020. He also alleged that the SI stood on one thigh of his son, while the constable stood on the other. His son was admitted to a hospital in the ICU and he eventually died on June 27, 2020 while in treatment in the hospital.

During the hearing, the respondents denied the charges against them. After hearing the arguments from both sides, the Commission said that the respondents were fully responsible for the injuries caused to the deceased.