Autorickshaw Driver Dies After Police Interrogation, Sparking Outrage

On October 22nd, 2025, a tragic incident occurred in Poonamallee, Chennai, when a 40-year-old autorickshaw driver, Murugan, died shortly after being detained for questioning by the local police. Murugan, a resident of Maran Nagar, had borrowed 6.4 lakh from a woman named Sasikala to help a friend in financial distress. However, when he failed to repay the money, Sasikala confronted him, leading to an altercation in which Murugan's nephew, Karthik, abused her.

Sasikala then filed a complaint against both Murugan and Karthik at the Poonamallee police station. The police summoned the two men for questioning on Friday morning, and the interrogation reportedly continued until 8 pm. While returning home in an autorickshaw, Murugan collapsed near Karayanchavadi and was rushed to the Poonamallee Government Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

The incident has triggered tension at the hospital, with Murugan's relatives accusing the police of being responsible for his death. They claim that the officers threatened Murugan with a jail term if the loan was not repaid within 10 days, causing him severe stress that led to his collapse. The family has also raised questions about why a law-and-order inspector, Krishnamurthy, handled the inquiry instead of the crime wing, which typically investigates cheating cases.