Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 18 December 2024
A tragic suicide in Little Andaman on December 15, 2024, has led to widespread anger among locals, resulting in massive protests and calls for accountability from the police.
The incident involves a local tea shop owner, whose death has raised serious concerns regarding the actions of police officers in the area. Videos shared widely on social media show the deceased’s brother claiming that his sibling was unjustly detained by the police under the pretext of drunk driving. In the video, the brother states that the man was standing next to his bike, which had no fuel, when police arrived and took him into custody. Allegedly, police officers, who were not in uniform, had his bike refuelled by a colleague before transporting it to the station.
The deceased’s brother further alleges that his sibling was held at the police station for several hours without any official charges or challans for drunk driving being filed. Moreover, the family was not notified of his detention, raising suspicions over the police’s actions during the ordeal.
When the man was finally released, the brother claims he did not return home and tragically took his own life shortly after. The grieving relative has accused the police of provoking the suicide, demanding that the officers involved be suspended and an FIR filed against them for abuse of power.
In addition to the demand for justice, the family expressed concern about the post-mortem, which they claim was conducted without their consent. The brother has pointed to this as further evidence of the police mishandling the case, especially since they were not informed beforehand.
The family has also called for compensation for the three children left behind by the deceased.
SDPO Mr. Firoz Alam addressed the public at the scene, assuring them that a thorough and impartial inquiry would be conducted, he also refuted some allegations by the brother and agreed on allowing family to view the CCTV footage of the Police Station. He requested that the community allow the body to be cremated, though the brother of the deceased had earlier insisted that the cremation would not take place until an FIR was lodged against the officers involved.
In response to growing concerns, sources confirm that three police officers have been suspended in connection with the incident. As of the morning of December 18, the body remains uncremated, with the community’s demands still unmet.
The tragic incident has sparked a larger conversation about police accountability and the need for transparency in law enforcement actions in the region.
(This report is based on videos shared with Nicobar Times and accounts of locals from Little Andaman. We have made every effort to ensure accuracy and avoid discrepancies.)