Saidapet court magistrate conducts spot enquiry

Chennai: Immediately after T. Jayashree, magistrate of Saidapet court 23, finished her on-the-spot enquiry on Sunday into the death of teenager V. Selvam after police action triggered a two-wheeler mishap on 80 feet road in K.K. Nagar on Saturday, local residents resorted to a road roko. They demanded the arrest of the two police personnel. The mob also demanded that the police come to the scene and tender a public apology.

The police had to chase away the protesters using lathis to clear the traffic which was blocked on Sunday for more than one hour by the agitators. On Sunday, the angry protestors damaged and later removed the sharp metal rails on the median on 80 feet road as the victim had fallen on it on Saturday. He died after a sharp iron edge pierced his stomach. Selvam from Kundrathur, along with his friends Raja and Vignesh, was travelling on a two-wheeler to watch a movie when the police tried to stop them. When Selvam tried to dodge the cops, traffic policeman Sivanandam reportedly hit the pillion rider on his back after which the rider lost control of the vehicle and all three fell.

Selvam fell on the median and a sharp iron edged rail pierced his stomach, killing him on the spot. The violent mob trashed constable Sivanandam and inspector Sargunam immediately after the mishap while the city police administration transferred them with immediate effect. On Sunday, magistrate Jayasree recorded the statements of 13 people, including the two youths who were travelling with the victim.

She also met the parents of Selvam, besides recording the statements of witnesses, including a few shop owners on 80 feet road. Many people showed her the video footage they had recorded on their mobile phones. Magistrate Jayasree also collected the addresses of 10 people and told them that they would be called to give statements, if needed, at a later stage.

She then went to Royapettah government hospital where a team of two doctors conducted the autopsy on the body of Selvam in her presence. The entire process of post-mortem was videographed. Selvam’s father Vadivel, present at Royapettah GH, refused to receive the body after post-mortem saying that the family would take a final decision by Monday The police said the family was not keen on taking the body home because a temple festival was going on in Kundrathur on Sunday. “We hope they will receive it on Monday,” a senior police officer said.