MADURAI: A 24-year-old man who was arrested and released by police in Tuticorin died in a hospital after six days of treatment, triggering allegations of custodial assault. His family protested outside Thoothukudi Government Hospital alleging that police assaulted him, resulting in head injuries that led to death.Family of the deceased, N Arunachalam, released a video shot before his death in the hospital where he was seen stating that police personnel assaulted him at the station. Police in turn released CCTV camera clips which purportedly showed Arunchalam collapsing at the station, claiming that the injuries were due to the fall.Former DMK minister Geetha Jeevan visited the family and consoled them while leader of opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin hit out at chief minister C Joseph Vijay for remaining silent on the issue.According to police, N Arunachalam of Amudha Nagar in Tuticorin was arrested on July 17 after 120 liquor bottles, each containing 180ml, were allegedly seized from him. He was booked under sections 4(1)(A) and 14A of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act for unauthorised possession of liquor bottles.Police said his search was videographed, his family was informed and he was examined at the govt hospital around 5.50pm, where the doctor certified him fit and recorded no external injuries.After he was brought to the station, “when he was talking normally with other inmates, he collapsed on his own inside the lock up”, the police statement said. The incident was recorded on CCTV cameras in front of the lock-up, police said. “Police personnel immediately responded, provided him drinking water and his mother was also called. As his condition appeared normal, he was released on station bail and with his relatives for further medical check-up,’’ the statement said.DSP Sunil said Arunachalam collapsed again at the hospital, where doctors detected swelling in his head. Arunachalam underwent treatment in the neurosurgery ward of the govt hospital before dying on Thursday, police said. Sunil denied custodial assault and said it was “not a lock-up death”.
