Prime suspect in fake NCC camp sexual assault case dies by suicide

Krishnagiri (Tamil Nadu): The prime suspect in the sexual assault of a school girl at a fake NCC camp at Bargur in the district died allegedly by suicide on Friday, said police.

Sivaraman reportedly consumed rat control paste ahead of his arrest on August 19, they said.

He was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Krishnagiri, where he was undergoing treatment for fracturing his leg when he attempted to escape from being caught by the police.

Later, he was referred to the Government Medical College Hospital, Salem as his condition worsened, and he died on Friday.

Incidentally, Sivaraman’s father Ashok Kumar died in a road accident when he was riding a two-wheeler in an inebriated condition on Thursday, a senior police official said.

Sivaraman was among 11 people, including the school authorities, who were arrested by the Bargur All-Woman police. He had organised the fake NCC camp where the girl student studying in class 8 and several other girls were sexually assaulted.

About 41 students, including 17 girls, participated in the fake NCC camp recently and the incident of sexual assault came to light after the girl narrated her trauma to her parents, who then lodged a complaint with the police.

Opposition parties AIADMK and BJP have raised suspicion over the death of Sivaraman by suicide following his father’s demise allegedly due to a road accident and wondered if any attempt was being made to shield the real culprit involved in the sexual assault and abuse of the girls at the fake NCC camp.

Citing media reports, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said the timing of Sivaraman’s death before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) commenced the probe into the case, and also that of Ashok Kumar on Thursday night raises doubts.

Expressing similar doubts, BJP state chief K Annamalai said, “both the deaths are suspicious... a strong doubt arises whether those involved in the case have actually been arrested or whether the two deaths took place to save someone,” he said in a post on social media platform X.

He urged the SIT to conduct a detailed enquiry and bring out the truth.