HC urges end to highway protest over dalit youth’s death

Madurai: The Madras high court on Tuesday asked the family of a dalit youth who died after sustaining injuries in police custody in Sivaganga district to appeal to protesters to disperse from the Manamadurai highway.The youth, Akash, 26, died on Sunday at Govt Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, triggering allegations of police torture and custodial violence. He had been apprehended by Manamadurai police near the Melapasalai flyover in connection with a machete attack on two people. Police claimed that Akash suffered severe leg fractures after he jumped from a flyover while attempting to evade arrest. Following his death, family members and local residents staged a roadblock protest on the Madurai–Rameswaram highway near the old bus stand in Manamadurai. The protest entered its third day on Tuesday, with temporary tents set up at the site. The protesters demanded action against the police personnel allegedly responsible for the youth's death. Traffic towards Rameswaram was diverted via Sivaganga and Kamudhi due to the blockade. When the matter was mentioned before the Madras high court on Tuesday, the state submitted that the continuing blockade of the national highway was affecting the general public. Justice L Victoria Gowri orally instructed the family members of the deceased to request, through the media, that protesters disperse from the spot. On Monday, during the hearing of a petition filed by the youth's father, A Rajeshkannan, the state had informed the court about the highway blockade and its impact on the public. Counsel for the petitioner had then submitted that he would convey a request through the family to the protesters to disperse. MSID:: 129410182 413 |