A 60-year-old man was found dead inside a Sub-Inspector’s room at the Bazaar Street police station in Coimbatore on Wednesday (August 6, 2025), sparking allegations of custodial death.
However, Coimbatore City Police Commissioner A. Saravana Sundar denied the allegations, and claimed that it was a case of death by suicide.
The deceased has been identified as A. Rajan, a resident of Kamarajar Nagar at Ramachettipalayam near Perur.
The Commissioner told journalists that Rajan had come to the police station at 11.19 p.m. on Tuesday (August 5) and told constable Senthil Kumar, who was on duty as station sentry, that he was being chased by a group of people. As no suspected movement of people was found outside the station, Mr. Senthil Kumar asked him to go home and return Wednesday morning.
“The man went to the first floor of the station through a staircase [inside the building] when the constable was attending an official call inside the station. The man entered the room of the SI of the investigation wing and ended his life. The constable was not aware that the man had gone to the first floor,” according to Mr. Sundar.
The Commissioner claimed the death came to light when the SI went to his room on Wednesday morning after the roll call. The room was found locked from the inside. The SI opened the room using force, after waiting for some time, and found Rajan dead.
He said the body was shifted to the mortuary of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, and that an inquest by a magistrate would be conducted.
The Commissioner said Rajan got down from a private bus at Prakasam bus stop and went to the police outpost at Town Hall at 11.15 p.m. on Tuesday. After spending five minutes at the outpost, he went to Bazaar Street police station via Pothy’s Junction.
“The deceased was identified from a pocket diary he carried. His family members told us that Rajan acted as though he was hallucinating for the past few days, often stating that he was being tailed by 10 to 20 people,” he said.
‘Approached magistrate’
G. Karthikeyan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore South, said Rajan had approached a magistrate on Tuesday morning and said he was being chased by a group of people. The magistrate, in turn, directed the Perur police to check the matter, as he hailed from the Perur police station limits. Rajan later roamed around different parts of the city, before approaching the Bazaar Street police station at night, said Mr. Karthikeyan.
The officer added that constable Senthil Kumar and investigation wing SI Nagaraj were shifted to the Armed Reserve in connection with the incident.
Mr. Sundar stated only one policeman was present at the station when the incident occurred. He added disciplinary action would be initiated against police personnel for negligence that led to the alleged suicide.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050).
Published – August 06, 2025 01:37 pm IST
