Five cops suspended after custodial death of bookseller in Villupuram

VILLUPURAM: A railway police inspector, a head constable and three constables were suspended after a bookseller whom they had picked up on charges of stealing cash and a mobile phone died in their custody on Wednesday.
Villupuram railway police picked up R Jayavel, 25, from Krishnagiri, who sold books, magazines and newspapers on the platform at Villupuram railway station, after a passenger lodged a complaint that the bookseller had stolen his mobile phone and Rs 600 in cash.
A police team, led by inspector Vasudevan and head constable Balamurugan, interrogated the bookseller on his alleged involvement in the crime.
Jayavel swooned during the course of interrogations, and police rushed him to Mundiyampakkam government general hospital where doctors proclaimed him brought dead.
As soon as news of his death spread, his relatives staged a protest charging that the policemen had beaten him to death. They demanded severe action against the policemen after booking them on charges of murder.
Superintendent of police (Villupuram) Manoharan, railway additional superintendent of police (Trichy) Rajavel and deputy superintendent of police Dhanavel visited the railway station and made preliminary inquiries. Judicial magistrate I Vignesh Prabu also made inquiries.
Railway police DIG Baskar placed five policemen -- Vasudevan, Balamurugan and constables Logeswaran, Thirukumaran and Srinath -- under suspension.
Jayavel returned to Villupuram three days ago after celebrating his son's first birthday with his wife, parents and relatives.