Suspect swallows half blade in police custody, out of danger now

CHENNAI: A suspect arrested for theft attempted to end his life at Tiruvottiyur police station on Monday by swallowing a blade while in police custody on Monday. Police sources said that Sakthivel (29) of Ernavur was caught red-handed by residents while he attempted to flee after snatching a mobile phone from Jeevanantham, a lorry driver from Namakkal. When he told the police that he had swallowed a blade, they did not believe him. But they took him to a hospital where doctors confirmed the presence of a blade after a scan. Following this, cops from the Tiruvottiyur station rushed him to the Government Stanley Hospital where doctors used a suction pipe to retrieve the half-blade that was inside his throat. Police said that the suspect is stable and is out of danger.