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Tamil Nadu woman tortured in custody over allegations of theft, 4 police officials suspended

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 5/20/2022 3:02:40 PM

Chennai, May 19 Another case of custodial torture has emerged in Tamil Nadu, and this time a woman in Thootukudi district was tortured in police custody over suspicion that she had stolen her neighbour’s jewellery. Three female police officials and Sub-Inspector Muthumalai have been suspended over the incident. The incident was reported in Muthiahpuram village in Thoothukudi district. Sumathi, a 42-year-old woman, was taken into custody for interrogation by police officials after a man complained that jewellery that belonged to him had been stolen. He had also alleged suspicion that his neighbour's wife, Sumathi, was involved in it. The complaint was that jewellery worth 4 to 5 kg had gone missing on May 4, from the bride's room in the marriage hall. The complaint was given by 45-yearold Prabhakaran of Krishna Nagar. The custodial torture took place on May 7 when Sumathi was taken in for questioning. The Muthiahpuram police officials who took the woman into custody for questioning, tortured the woman in the police station. The woman, who was later let go, took treatment at the Thoothukudi government hospital. Post this, she registered an official complaint with the Thoothukudi Superintendent of Police (SP), Balaji Saravanan. After an inquiry, SP Balaji Saravanan discovered that the victim, Sumathi, was kept in the station without an FIR or even a formal complaint. The SP immediately acted on the woman's complaint and suspended three female police officials: Mersina, Kalpana, and Uma Maheswari. One more officer has been transferred and Sub-Inspector Muthumalai has also been suspended