His family says he was returning to Kerala by government bus when he was stopped at the Chinnar check post on the Tamil Nadu–Kerala border.
Published Aug 02, 2025 | 10:01 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 02, 2025 | 10:01 AM
Death. Representative image. (iStock)
In Tiruppur district, the death of an Adivasi man in the custody of Tamil Nadu forest officials has sparked allegations of custodial torture and illegal detention.
P. Marimuthu was found dead on July 31 at the Udumalpet Forest Range Office, with officials claiming he died by suicide. However, his family and activists allege the injuries on his body raise serious doubts.
A member of the Muthuva tribal community, Marimuthu was originally from Mel Kurumalai in Tiruppur but had been living with his wife and daughters in Suriyanelli, near Munnar in Kerala.
Activists say Marimuthu had faced repeated harassment from forest officials in Tamil Nadu. He was earlier arrested in a ganja case and acquitted on July 29. On July 30, he visited the Udumalpet court to complete formalities related to the acquittal.
His family says he was returning to Kerala by government bus when he was stopped at the Chinnar check post on the TN–Kerala border.
He was allegedly taken into custody by the Kerala Excise Department, handed to Kerala forest officials, and then transferred to Tamil Nadu forest officials, who accused him of possessing leopard teeth.
Later that night, he was taken to the Udumalpet forest range office. Activists allege the detention was illegal and that Marimuthu was tortured. His family was not informed.
Forest officials claim he died by suicide around 4:30 am on July 31. Marimuthu’s daughter Sindhu, in a petition to Udumalpet police, alleged he had injuries on his head, hands, and neck.
His relatives staged a protest outside Udumalpet General Hospital, where the postmortem was conducted in the presence of Judicial Magistrate Nithyakala.
The incident drew public attention, with CPI(M) members seen raising slogans and confronting police. Protesters demanded that a case be filed under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and that the officials involved be arrested.
After discussions with revenue officials, the family accepted the body and took it to Maraiyur for the final rites.
The Udumalpet police have registered a case under Section 196(2)(a) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which mandates a magisterial inquiry into deaths in custody. Further investigation is underway.
