A worker was found dead under suspicious circumstances in a cashew processing unit belonging to Cuddalore Member of Parliament T.R.V.S. Ramesh at Panikankuppam near Panruti in the early hours of Monday. The Kadampuliyur police have registered a case under Section 174 of Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC) that deals with unnatural or suspicious death after the victim’s family alleged foul play in his death.
According to police sources, the victim identified as K. Govindarasu, 60, of Melmampattu, was working as a labourer in the cashew processing unit for the last seven years. On Sunday evening, Govindarasu was returning home after work when an employee frisked him and accused him of stealing 7kg of cashew nuts. Govindarasu was allegedly assaulted on the premises and taken to the Kadampuliyur police station for lodging a complaint.
The Station House Officer noticed bleeding injuries on Govindarasu’s face and asked the complainants Kandavelu and Shanmugam to take him to the hospital for treatment. However, the duo reportedly took the victim again to the cashew processing unit. Govindarasu was found dead under suspicious circumstances in the unit a few hours later. The body has been sent to the Government Villupuram Medical College and Hospital (GVMCH) at Mundiyambakkam for post-mortem.
Meanwhile, the family of Govindarasu have alleged foul play in his death. In a complaint to the police, the victim’s son G. Senthilvel said that his father was assaulted by the employees of the cashew processing unit resulting in his death and they were trying to cover it up as a suicide.
When contacted, a police officer said that a case of suspicious death was registered. The victim had contusion on his head and face. The reason behind the death will be known only after the post-mortem report, he said.
