THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The family members of Suresh (40) of Nelliyode, who died while being in Thiruvallom police custody on Monday morning, alleged custodial torture behind the death.
Suresh was one among the five men who were arrested Sunday late night on charges of allegedly harassing a couple and another woman at Judgekunnu near Thiruvallom. The main suspect, who allegedly physically harassed the woman accompanying the couple, is still at large.
Police said Suresh complained of chest pain by Monday morning. Police then summoned his brother to the station and took Suresh to a nearby hospital at Poonthura. Later, he was referred to Ananthapuri Hospital at Chackai. But Suresh died on the way to the hospital. City police commissioner G Sparjankumar said that the special branch wing of the city police is conducting a probe to verify the allegations.
“From preliminary information received, we do not think any custodial torture took place,” he said.
Though local magistrate had remanded them in judicial custody during a virtual procedure, police could not sent them to prison as residents of Nelliyode had laid siege to the station the entire day.
