Suicide bid by another cabbie alleging abuse by cops foiled

The 27-year-old call taxi driver P Imayavarman is a son of an Electricity Board employee. He climbed up a cell phone tower in Mudichur, claiming that a policeman, Kumaravel, attached to Peerkankaranai police station, assaulted him. It is said that Kumaravel and Sub Inspector Sankaran stopped Imayavarman’s car at the Manimangalam–Mudichur Road-Tambaram tri-junction around 6.45 pm. 

As soon as the car was stopped, constable Kumaravel accused him of over speeding and not wearing the seat belt. When the driver came out of the car, Kumaravel allegedly slapped him, further accusing him of being drunk and trying to tease women. Kumaravel also took Imayavaraman’s driving licence and mobile phone. The policeman then asked him to bring his father, if he wanted the licence and the mobile phone back. 

Imayavaraman informed his mother about the incident on reaching home and told her that he was feeling insulted and humiliated. He then suddenly ran out of his house on Park Street in Mudichur and climbed up a nearby cell phone tower and threatened to commit suicide. 

He demanded that the policeman should apologise for assaulting him. One of the residents informed his mother Sulochana about Imayavarman’s act. She came to the spot and collapsed on seeing her son atop the tower. Later, she was admitted to a hospital.  

A local police team, led by Selaiyur ACP, pacified and brought the cabbie down saying that his mother has been admitted to a hospital. Due to public pressure, police had to hand over the licence and mobile phone back to Imayavaraman.