A day after an undertrial died in the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Postgraduate Institute in Puducherry on Tuesday, Sub-Inspector of Police, Jayagurunathan, attached to the Bahour police station has been suspended and an inquiry initiated against him.

The death of S. Jayamoorthy (21) hailing from Pudhu Nagar near Reddichavadi in Cuddalore district, who was admitted to the GH on Tuesday evening, had sparked off a protest with relatives alleging that the police had severely beaten him inside the prison.

The victim was picked up by the police from his house for interrogation on November 21 in connection with the theft of a motorcycle and cellphone. He was produced before a local court and remanded to custody in the Central Prison at Kalapet.

Jayamoorthy was taken to the GH after he complained of uneasiness. However, he succumbed in the hospital on Tuesday evening. His family have demanded a judicial enquiry into the death and action against the concerned police personnel.

Prisoners create ruckus in Court

Meanwhile, high drama prevailed in the combined court buildings for about half-an-hour here on Wednesday, after 10 inmates of the Kalapet Central Prison refused to get down from the police bus while being brought to the court.

According to police, the inmates were taken in a police bus to be produced in the court in connection with various cases pending against them. When the bus reached the court buildings at around 10.00 a.m. the inmates refused to get down from the vehicle. The police personnel who accompanied them tried to convince the undertrials. But they refused to get down from the vehicle.

The inmates alleged that Jayamoorthy was beaten by police personnel in the Bahour police station and was also harassed by prison authorities in the Central Prison. Jayamoorthy could have been saved had the prison officials provided timely help and admitted him on time, the prisoners claimed.

The inmates also alleged that convicts as well as undertrial prisoners lodged in the Central Prison were beaten up and harassed by the prison authorities. The police also foisted false cases on their family members, they alleged.

However, following assurances from police personnel the inmates called off their protest.