Chennai: In what appears to be a suicide attempt abetted by cops, a 55-year-old woman maid suspected in a house-theft incident reported in her employer’s residence in T Nagar attempted suicide on Saturday fearing that the custodial violence she faced about six months ago might recur.
On Saturday, the family took the victim, Vellaiyammal, resident of T. Nagar, from her daughter’s residence in Vyasarpadi to Saidapet police station in connection with a theft case, since the cops had come looking for her in T. Nagar, the previous day.
“Vellaiyammal swooned when we were passing by Nungambakkam in an autorickshaw. We rushed her to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMCH) where she was being treated.
“We think she was sure that the cops would beat her again, and would have wanted to save herself the trouble of getting into the police custody,” her son-in-law Kirubakaran, told DC.
Earlier in February, Saidapet police picked up Vellaiyammal for interrogation, following a complaint from her employer that her valuables were missing.
The woman was reportedly beaten up by the cops in the custody to force her admit to the crime. She was sent home after the custodial interrogation, and she appeared battered and bruised. The family took her to a state-run hospital in Saidapet where the doctors suggested her to be moved to the Government Royapettah Hospital (GRH) considering the quantum of the injuries.
She was discharged after day-long treatment at GRH, and the treatment was followed up at private hospitals in T. Nagar. After that episode with the police, Vellaiyammal had stopped going to work. She was spending time with her children’s families.
On Friday, she got a call from her house-owner saying that the cops enquired about her in the neighbourhood. Subsequently, the family contacted the cops and told them that they would produce her for interrogation.
