TN custodial death: Officials hand over relief to family of remand prisoner

NAGERCOIL: The revenue officials handed over relief and a temporary job offer to the family of S Sabari Varman, a remand prisoner who died in the sub-jail here on July 13, an official said on Saturday.

The family members accepted his body on Friday night following a multi-day protest, police said.

They mellowed down after independent human rights activists verified the integrity of the autopsy, and accepted the body of Varman, 35, a disabled shop-keeper, from Ethankadu here who allegedly died in judicial custody.

Three prison staff, including a chief warden were arrested and placed under suspension after a postmortem report indicated 19 injuries on the victim's body, including his elbows.

The police had registered a case against eight co-inmates of the Nagercoil sub-jail in connection with the death of Varman, who was arrested by the Thenthamaraikulam police allegedly for selling banned gutka.

Since his death, his family members have been staging a protest demanding a second postmortem and an independent probe as they suspected foul play in his death inside the prison. However, they launched a fresh protest at Ethankadu junction on Friday demanding the state government to immediately disburse welfare assistance to the affected family.

According to an official, senior revenue officials visited the residence of Varman's family and handed over a relief of Rs 10 lakh, a temporary government job to Varman's wife and a patta for 1.75 cents land.