CHIKKAMAGALURU: Mystery shrouds the death of a man, who was in police custody at the Tarikere police station in Chikkamagaluru on Wednesday. The police said that he hanged himself using his trousers inside the toilet at the station. The deceased, Pradeep (38), was a resident of Basaveshwara Street in Tarikere town. He was picked up during a routine vehicle inspection. When the police stopped him and asked for his two-wheeler papers, he apparently told them that he had stolen the two-wheeler. The police took him into custody around 9.55 am and also summoned his father.
Later, the police told Pradeep to have breakfast, but he refused. Pradeep told the police that he had to answer nature’s call and went into the toilet. He locked the door from inside and allegedly hanged himself using his trousers, the police said. The police, who were alarmed that he had not come out for a long time, broke open the door, found him hanging and rushed him to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
But sources told Deccan Chronicle that the toilet is narrow and it is impossible to commit suicide in it. Moreover, the iron rods in the toilet are weak and could not have handled the weight of a person. The source, who has taken a close look at the body, said that there were no marks on the neck of the victim, suggesting that he might not have hanged himself. They also said that the police picked up Pradeep on Tuesday itself.
Chikkamagaluru Superintendent of Police Annamalai denied that Pradeep was tortured to death. The incident will be investigated by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sleuths and if any police officers are found guilty, suitable action will be initiated against them, he said.
