HC orders re-autopsy of man died in Forest officials’ custody

Chennai: The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court today ordered re-autopsy of Anaikarai Muthu, who is said to have died in Forest officials’ custody.

The order has been issued a couple of days after the Madurai bench questioned why the postmortem of Anaikarai Muthu was performed after 4 pm.

The court said when the rules clearly state that postmortem should not be performed after 4 pm, why was the procedure carried out ao urgently.

It also asked the postmortem report to be submitted at the earliest.

In a petition, Muthu’s wife Palammal said that her husband was picked up by forest officials for inquiry on 22 July.

It is said that Muthu was picked up by the officials on the charge of erecting an electric fence around his farm by drawing power illegally.

Palammal alleged that she suspected that her husband was tortured by the forest officials in custody.

She said when their family members were on their way to the forest office, a jeep belonging to the department came from the opposite direction. Muthu was in the jeep in an unconscious state and they took him to the nearby government hospital.

The farmer was then rushed to Government Hospital in Tenkasi where he was declared brought dead.