MADURAI: A 42-year-old goods vehicle driver was found dead inside the restroom of Chekkanurani police station in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai district on Saturday morning, following which the station inspector and two other police personnel were suspended.
The deceased, identified as R Balakrishnan, a native of Theni district, had visited the police station to assist investigators in examining CCTV footage linked to a fire that destroyed goods being transported in his vehicle on November 3.
According to police, Balakrishnan had been at the station since Friday evening. He reportedly went to the restroom and was found unconscious around 6 am on Saturday. He was taken to Government Rajaji Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Police suspect that he died by suicide by hanging. The circumstances surrounding his death are under investigation.
The vehicle driven by Balakrishnan had caught fire near Valandur Tank Bund while transporting parcels and cardamom from Thevaram to Madurai. Around 60 bags of goods were destroyed in the incident. He had lodged a complaint following the fire.
Police have preserved CCTV footage from the station. The case has been transferred to the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID), and a judicial inquiry has been ordered.
The station inspector and two other personnel on duty at the time have been placed under suspension.
(With inputs from media reports)