Tiruchy: Kin take body of woman killed in police road chase

TIRUCHY: Tension prevailed all through Thursday at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government hospital here where the body of the 36-year-old pregnant woman, whose tragic death sparked off a huge public uproar, was kept. The situation eased after hours of persuasion and promise of action against the erring traffic cop allegedly responsible for the ghastly road mishap.  

The tragedy happened as the woman riding pillion with her husband had a fatal fall from their two-wheeler following the alleged forcible attempt by a police inspector to stop their vehicle as the rider rode without helmet at Tiruverumbur near here on Wednesday night.  

Police said the relatives of the deceased refused to receive the body demanding stringent action against the inspector besides Rs 3 lakh as compensation. Despite repeated attempts by the police to convince the agitators, the dead woman's kin refused to accept her body at the hospital. 

However, later in the evening around 16:40 hours, the relatives relented on assurances by higher police officials that adequate compensation would be given by the Tamil Nadu government and that the charge against the erring police inspector would be modified to one under 302 IPC section (murder),  It might be recalled that the deceased Usha and her husband Raja (40) hailing from Soolamangalam in Thanjavur district who were on their way to Tiruchy, by a two-wheeler, were intercepted by a police team at suburb Thuvakudi police check post. 

The couple did not stop, even as traffic inspector Kamaraj gave a hot chase on his vehicle, allegedly forcibly intercepted the couple, leading to both falling on the road. Both were rushed to the government hospital, but Usha was declared brought dead. 

Protesting against the police action, people in and around Tiruverumbur resorted to road roko at Ganesa Point at Tiruverumbur, demanding stern action against the police Inspector Kamaraj. Following this, vehicular traffic came to a total halt on the busy Tiruchy-Thanjavur NH. At one stage, the angry mob pelted stones at the police and damaged more than 50 vehicles including a few police vehicles. 

As the situation got worse, police resorted to a lathi-charge and chased away the agitators in which over 30 were injured. Later, police arrested over 50 persons including a group of students in connection with last night’s incidents. Meanwhile, the erring cop Kamaraj was arrested, remanded to judicial custody and lodged in the central prison here. The Tiruchy range DIG of police, Ms Lalitha Lakshmi, ordered the inspector’s suspension.