Chennai Spl police team to probe taxi driver suicide

Chennai: A 25-year-old cab driver committed suicide recently after allegedly being harassed and abused by cops repeatedly. In a video, shot by him shortly before he took the extreme step of jumping before a train, Rajesh Murthy of Kammavarpalayam, Kancheepuram, blamed the police. The video went viral on social media and television channels on Thursday. His family members found the video on his cellphone after using recovery software since the file had been erased.

The police claimed that he had committed suicide by jumping before a train between Singaperumal Koil railway station and Maraimalai Nagar railway station on January 25.  The police attempted to close the case as a suicide due to family issues.

However, Rajesh's family was suspicious and with the help of a friend, they used recovery software and found a video that Rajesh had made before he passed away. In the three-minute video Rajesh narrated the ordeal he faced at the hands of the police. He said he was upset by the way they abused him vulgarly. He squarely accused the city police of being responsible for his death, and said that his death should be the last one from such a cause.

With tears rolling down his face Rajesh seated on the driver's seat in his cab, says: “This morning at 8.05, at a traffic signal at Anna Nagar I picked up a woman employee of DLF, Ramapuram. The second pick up was a man and we were waiting for him on the roadside near a garbage bin. Two policemen came from behind, I do not know if they used a lathi or their hands but they banged on the vehicle and yelled at me to move the vehicle from the spot. Hence, I drove down further and parked at a distance. Again they came and abused me verbally in the presence of a woman passenger in the car.”

He narrated another incident too: “Yesterday, at Thiruvotriyur, I was sleeping inside the car on a service road. The police locked my vehicle and made me pay a fine of Rs 500. They scolded me when I asked for a receipt.”

He also talked about the difficulties faced by a cab driver: “I just get three-and-a-half hours of sleep every day. I end my day at 1.30 am. We almost die every day being a driver. On top of that, the police harass us. The reason for my death is the Chennai police and no one else. Let my death be the last one for this reason. Last year, a driver died for the same reason at Taramani. Was any action taken? The department simply transfers out the police, but the same things are happening again.”

Gowtham, elder brother of Rajesh, said the Tambaram railway police informed the family that Rajesh had committed suicide on January 25, between Singaperumal Koil railway station and Maraimalai Nagar railway station. After the post-mortem, they handed over the body and his belongings.

“After recharging the cellphone on Wednesday, we found all the files were erased in the cellphone and that made us suspicious. With the help of recovery software, we found that Rajesh had made the video before committing suicide. We will register a complaint with the police,” said Gowtham.

After the video surfaced, cab drivers staged a road roko at DLF near Porur on Thursday morning, demanding action against the cops. It may be noted that more than a year ago a driver immolated himself at OMR following an altercation with the police.

When contacted, Tambaram Railway DSP Edward said that they are investigating the incident and whether Rajesh committed suicide because of police abuse or for any other reason. It is said that three special teams have been formed under Joint Commissioner (West) of the city police.