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Thiruvananthapuram: In a bizarre twist to a chase lasting over a week to catch a senior police officer in Kerala who was accused in a murder case, family members of the officer found his body hanging from the ceiling at his home on Tuesday morning.
The deceased, B. Harikumar, a deputy superintendent of police, had been on the run ever since he was accused of pushing one Sanal Kumar onto the road near Neyyattinkara in the outskirts of the state capital, leading to Kumar’s death after he was hit by a passing vehicle.
The death of Harikumar comes at a time when Kumar’s wife, Viji, was gearing up for a legal battle to have Harikumar not only suspended — which the police department had done — but also terminated from service, besides having him punished appropriately for the crime. Reacting to Harikumar’s apparent suicide, Viji said: “God’s verdict has come”.
Kumar’s sister Sajitha said though the prime suspect was dead, all those who tried to help Harikumar must also face punishment.
Harikumar is believed to have been travelling in different places in Tamil Nadu to evade arrest, and his anticipatory bail application was to be heard by a local court on Wednesday. He had also requested not to be remanded in custody in the Neyyattinkara sub-jail because he feared attacks from prisoners in the jail who were his enemies.
Harikumar is believed to have reached his house near Kallambalam on Monday evening. He had been staying in Neyyattinkara for a while due to its proximity to his workplace, and the Kallambalam home was not being used in recent times. People questioned how could Harikumar reach his Kallambalam home while the police were trying to nab him.
His mother-in-law, who stays close to Harikumar’s house in Kallambalam, was the first to see the police officer’s body, and immediately alerted family members.
On November 5 Harikumar had fatally pushed Kumar on the road, and he had been on the run ever since.
The state crime branch had filed a report stating that Harikumar had intentionally pushed Kumar onto the road. The main witness in the case is the owner of a restaurant where Kumar was having a meal, before he was summoned by the police officer over the manner in which Kumar’s vehicle was parked. The ensuing argument led to the police officer pushing Kumar onto the road leading to his death.
The opposition Congress party had alleged that the state government was protecting the police officer and delaying his arrest.
Eyewitnesses and Kumar’s kin alleged that the injured electrician was not immediately rushed to the hospital. He died as the police were dropping off officers to the police station instead of taking Kumar to the nearest emergency centre. Kumar was declared brought dead to hospital.
