YouTuber A. Shankar, also known as ‘Savukku’ Shankar, who was arrested by cybercrime police in Coimbatore on the 4th of May was beaten by the staff at Coimbatore Central Prison, according to his counsel Gopalakrishnan.
Savukku Shankar’s counsel claimed that Shankar’s right hand was fractured in an assault on the night of 4th May, after he was remanded in prison in judicial custody, and that no adequate treatment was provided to him. The counsel claimed that on Saturday night, the jail staff, numbering roughly ten people, blindfolded Savukku Shankar and attacked him with plastic pipes wrapped in clothing. He claimed that Shankar was compelled to take painkillers without his consent.
Shankar has been remanded in custody till May 17.
“The incident came to light when I visited Mr. Shankar in the prison for legal assistance on Monday. A petition has been filed with the concerned court, highlighting the torture undergone by Shankar in judicial remand and seeking an inquiry into the incident. The petition has been allowed and we are expecting a favourable direction from the court,” Advocate Gopalkrishnan said and also sought direction to treat the arrested YouTuber at a private hospital.
Gopalkrishnan further revealed that Senthil Kumar, who was the superintendent of prison in Cuddalore when Shankar was imprisoned previously, is now the superintendent of Coimbatore Central Prison. “So they’ve filed a case in Coimbatore and are torturing Shankar. Policemen are acting out of vendetta and are torturing Shankar,” the YouTuber’s counsel said adding that there is danger to Shankar’s life.
According to reports, the Coimbatore Cybercrime Police filed a case against the YouTuber for making insulting statements about women constables and arrested him from Theni on Saturday. Taking to X Coimbatore City Police informed about Shankar’s arrest and said: “Savukku Shankar has been arrested today by Coimbatore city police cyber crime wing for the offences committed under the following sections. 294(b), 509 and 353 IPC r/w section 4 of Tamilnadu prohibition of harassment of Woman Act and section 67 of Information Technology Act,2000.”
Savukku Shankar, a former employee of the vigilance department, was earlier sentenced to 6 months in jail for a contempt of court case by the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court. In 2008, he was jailed by the DMK government for leaking a conversation between two top officials.