Death of anti-liquor activist: Vaiko seeks judicial probe

Seeking an inquiry by a sitting or retired High Court judge into anti-liquor activist Sasi Perumal's death, MDMK leader Vaiko today alleged he was killed by 'recklessnes' and 'sheer negligence' of police and fire service personnel who sought to bring him down from a mobile phone tower by tying a rope around him.
Justice M M Sundresh, before whom the matter came up, reserved his orders without mentioning any date.
Arguing for a inquiry headed by a sitting or retired HC judge, Vaiko said that on July 31 Sasi Perumal climbed the tower, demanding relocation of a state-run TASMAC wine shop near Marthandam in Kanyakumari district after authorities failed to act on their assurances in that regard.

Noting that the precious life of a person, who had spent his lifetime fighting for total prohibition, was lost due to 'reckless' police action, Vaiko said and alleged "he was killed by police officials not purposely but due to negligence. The truth must come out."
Rejecting the police theory that Sasi Perumal's death was perhaps 'his personal decision' and imputation that he had committed suicide, Vaiko said he was a brave man who would not resort to such steps.
The MDMK leader said the important point to be noted was he had carried a rope with him while climbing up but that seen around his neck while he was fatally hanging was not the same one. It was that fire service personnel had taken with them to bring him down, Vaiko said, adding that perhaps the knot tied around the Gandhian's waist slipped and got around his neck.

Government pleader S T S Moorthy denied the charges and said photographs clearly showed that Sasi Perumal died due to a cotton rope, whereas fire service personnel had carried a nylon rope with them.

He said the entire incident had been videographed and it would reveal the truth.
The 59-year-old anti-liquor activist had climbed a 120-feet mobile phone tower in Kanyakumari district on July 31 demanding closure of a liquor outlet near an educational institute but collapsed during the more than five-hour stir and was declared brought dead at a hospital.
His death had intensified protests by various voluntary outfits, a section of students and political parties seeking prohibition in Tamil Nadu.