The Madras High Court on May 9 appointed two government doctors to conduct autopsy on a body of a person, who allegedly committed suicide while in custody, on a plea from the deceased's wife seeking presence of a doctor of her choice during the post-mortem.
 

A division bench of Justices V Parthiban and P D Audikesavalu also directed authorities to videograph the post-mortem. The bench appointed Dr Parasakthi, Director, Institute of Forensic Medicine, MMC Chennai, and Dr Selvakumar, Prof, forensic medicine, KMC Chennai, to conduct autopsy on the body of the deceased Sitrarasu of Chunambedu, Kancheepuram district. The court directed the two doctors to conduct the post-mortem on May 10 to allay the apprehension expressed by the petitioner that proper autopsy would not be carried out by local doctors.

The court however declined to accept the plea of the petitioner to have a doctor of her choice to be present during the process. The petitioner alleged that her husband was picked up by police on May 1 in connection with a petty quarrel. She alleged that as she could not meet the money demands of police for her husband's release, they continued to beat him throughout the night. She submitted that the next day, it was reported that her husband died by committing suicide by using his underwear "which is unbelievable."

The petitioner said the judicial magistrate had declined her plea seeking presence of an independent doctor of her choice at the time of post-mortem. The Public Prosecutor Emilias submitted that the government was ready to send a committee of doctors consisting Dr Selvakumar, Dr Parasakthi and Dr Balasubramanian, professor of Forensic Medicine, Government Stanley Hospital, Chennai to monitor the autopsy. He also submitted that video recording of the autopsy would also be done.