Tamil Nadu: DIG Returns From Jog, Shoots Himself; Was Under Treatment For Depression

Chennai: Before dawn break on Friday, Coimbatore Range Deputy Inspector General of Police C Vijayakumar was out on his regular early morning jog. The 47-year-old officer headed straight to his camp office at Red Fields after jogging. Seeing him, those around did not suspect anything. However, at around 6.50 am the officer snatched the pistol from his gunman and in a split second shot himself point blank on the forehead. He bled to death almost instantly much to the shock of his gunman and other staff.

Soon senior police officers including his immediate superior and Tamil Nadu West Zone IGP R Sudhakar and Coimbatore City Police Commissioner V Balakrishnan were informed and they rushed to the camp office. Vijaykumar’s body was then shifted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) where a post-mortem was done.

DGP was going through psychological disorders

Additional DGP (Law and Order) A Arun, who rushed to Coimbatore, told journalists that the IPS officer was undergoing treatment for depression and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) for some years. “He had consulted the doctor four days ago and said the depression had aggravated. He was given medicines and tablets,” he said adding senior officers in Coimbatore too were counselling Vijaykumar. The late officer’s family members were also staying with him for the past few days as he was under severe mental stress.

MK Stalin expresses sympathy to Tamil Nadu police force

“This is a very sad incident and there is no need to politicise it. This happened purely due to a medical reason,” Arun said. Expressing shock over the officer’s death, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said this was a huge loss to Tamil Nadu Police. Leader of Opposition and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami called for a CBI probe into the death by suicide.

“On behalf of BJP Tamil Nadu, I request the Tamil Nadu government to ascertain the reason for this suicide and take action,” the party’s state president K Annamalai said.