Farmer who consumed poison, dies; kin claim police torture

Tenkasi: A 63-year-old farmer, who consumed poison and entered a police station following a land dispute inquiry on May 21, succumbed at the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital on Sunday. The deceased man’s family alleged that police abused and assaulted him leading to his death. However, police have denied the allegations.According to police sources, Anthonyraj, a resident of Thalavaipuram village near Sivagiri, was locked in a prolonged boundary conflict with his neighbor, Pechipandi’s wife Pasupathi. Following an initial complaint filed by Pasupathi on May 1, the Sivagiri police had instructed both parties to maintain status quo until an official land surveyor demarcated the property line.However, on May 15, following a complaint by the Pasupathi faction alleging that the Anthonyraj faction was causing trouble by undertaking construction work, Sivagiri police Inspector summoned both parties for an inquiry. He instructed them that no construction activities were to be carried out by either side until the site had been surveyed by a government surveyor.The situation took a horrific turn on May 21 when Anthonyraj arrived at the station premises after already ingesting pesticide. On noticing his failing health, police personnel rushed him to the Sivagiri government hospital, from where he was shifted to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for advanced care. However, he succumbed on Sunday.While police maintained they were merely mediating a civil issue, the deceased man's wife, Chellathai, and son, Esakkidurai, told reporters that the inspector verbally abused the farmer and physically assaulted him when he demanded basic respect for his age.Furthermore, they alleged that the police threatened to book Anthonyraj under a fabricated case. The family directly accused the local police of hurling derogatory, caste-based insults during the interrogation, which they say deeply humiliated the elderly man and ultimately drove him to take the extreme step.Responding to the allegations, the Tenkasi district police released an official statement categorically denying any mistreatment or high-handedness. The department stated that false reports are circulating on social media claiming that Anthonyraj consumed pesticide inside the Sivagiri police station and that he was subjected to torture while in police custody.