Chennai, April 12 (IANS) The re-postmortem report of G. Senthil, a 28-year-old suspected elephant poacher found dead under suspicious circumstances in Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri forest, will be submitted to the Madras High Court on April 15.
Senthil’s decomposed body was discovered on April 3 in the Kongarampatti forest area.
He had been arrested on March 17 in connection with the poaching of a wild tusker, whose charred carcass was found in the Neruppur forest range.
While his father and brother were taken into custody along with him, they were released, and Senthil went missing.
A postmortem was conducted on April 6 without the consent of his wife Chithra, prompting her to file a petition in the High Court.
She alleged that Senthil may have been tortured to death in custody by forest officials and petitioned the Madras High Court for a re-postmortem.
Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan ordered a re-postmortem by a team of forensic experts from three different medical colleges — Salem, Krishnagiri, and Chengalpattu.
The autopsy was conducted on April 10 in the presence of Senthil’s wife and the CB-CID Investigating Officer.
The body has been preserved at Dharmapuri Government Medical College Hospital until the court-mandated submission date.
Meanwhile, the CB-CID has launched an investigation into the incident.
A team visited Senthil’s village and the site where the body was found, collecting evidence and family testimonies.
The case has sparked a political controversy.
PMK founder S. Ramadoss has demanded a CBI inquiry and Rs 50 lakh in compensation for Senthil’s family.
He accused the state forest department of custodial torture and questioned the delay in reporting the death.
He also alleged the possibility of foul play, suggesting Senthil may have had incriminating information about forest officials.
Forest officials, however, claimed that Senthil had escaped custody and died by suicide.
The High Court is expected to take a call on further proceedings after examining the re-postmortem report on April 15.
–IANS
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