Custodial violence inquiry into death of man held for questioning in drug bust

A 36-year-old man died while being detained by the police, leading to a case being registered and investigated as a custodial death.
The man was detained by the police for questioning in connection with a drug raid.
The deceased was one of the 13 men detained by a police team investigating the sale of drugs in the Pudukottai area. They were then taken to the police station for inquiry on Friday.
The raid at a house in Poonga Nagar, southeast of Pudukkottai City in the district, was conducted after a tip off about a drug sale. In the raid, drugs were reportedly seized and 13 individuals were taken into police custody.
They were first taken to the Town Police Station for inquiry and later moved to Vellanur Police Station for further inquiry, where the deceased, identified as Vigneshwaran, fainted.
His relative was informed and Vigneshwaran was taken to District Government Hospital where he was declared brought dead.
Following the allegations of custodial death, Alangudi Judicial Magistrate visited the morgue and conducted an inquiry, the concluding observation was yet to be released.
Meanwhile, the police did not comment on the issue saying it was a sensitive matter. The Superintendent of Police said they were awaiting the Magistrate’s report.
Further investigation was in progress.
There has been a spate of drug raids in Tamil Nadu over the past few months, with several kilograms of narcotics ranging from methamphetamine (crystal meth) to cannabis (ganja) seized from various parts of the state.
On November 8, five persons were arrested for smuggling crystal meth in Chennai.
On October 24, the Anti-Drug Intelligence Unit busted a makeshift meth lab, run by seven college students in a rented house.
In a separate incident in Chennai on October 22, Narcotics Control Bureau officials seized 2.7 kg of methamphetamine, valued at Rs 27 crore, and arrested two suspects.