Skull Broken, Blood Clots Found & Brain Haemorrhage: Autopsy Report Of Farmer Sheds Light On Salem Police Brutality

The doctor also said that the victim had suffered a strong hit on the left side of his skull, few inches away from his left ear

Salem farmer died of brain haemorrhage. (Image: K Annamalai, Twitter)

Chennai: The medical examiner performing an autopsy of A Murugesan, who died after severe thrashing by Special Sub Inspector of Salem police, has said that the farmer's death was due to a brain haemorrhage following a hit on the head by a hard object.

The doctor of the Salem Government Medical College hospital said: "His skull was broken due to hit by a strong object, maybe the baton used by the SSI. Murugesan's body was full of injury marks and blood was clotting inside mainly due to the strong hitting taken on the head. The blood clot was found inside the muscles of his thighs, buttocks, hands due to excessive beating using a hard object."

The doctor also said that the victim had suffered a strong hit on the left side of his skull, few inches away from his left ear. He said that there were no other injuries on the skull other than this. The post mortem was conducted after sunset following special orders from the Salem District Collector — generally, autopsies are not conducted after sunset. The autopsy report would be produced before the Attur judicial magistrate in a few days, the doctor said.

Murugesan, along with his nephews, was returning home on Wednesday when the police intercepted their two-wheeler and showered abuses on the three after finding them in an inebriated state.

An argument followed and SSI S. Periyaswamy hit Murugesan continuously with a baton until he dropped unconscious. Murugesan was rushed to the Salem Government Medical College Hospital where he breathed his last on Thursday, bringing to the fore the cruelty of Tamil Nadu Police once more.

Three other policemen were also on the spot but they did not interfere to stop the SSI, who continued thrashing. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had ordered the immediate arrest of Periyasami and had sanctioned an amount of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the deceased. Stalin had also spoken to his wife Annakili and their three children and promised complete support to the family.