YouTuber Savukku Shankar ‘brutally attacked’ by prison authorities, claims his mother; calls for a judicial investigation

CHENNAI: YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar’s mother A. Kamala moved the Madras High Court alleging that prison authorities thrashed the YouTuber in Coimbatore Central Jail and caused him grievous injuries.

Kamala filed a habeas corpus petition asking that a judicial inquiry be ordered into the detention violence and that he be given appropriate treatment at a private hospital.

She said that by exposing several problems, including scams by the land mafia and other white-collar criminals operating hand in hand with many bureaucrats, her son earned him the wrath of the government and corrupt officials who in turn made false allegations against him.

She said she learned through Shankar’s lawyer that he was “brutally attacked” by the prison guards, resulting in serious injuries and a fracture of his right hand. She claimed he was beaten with a steel pipe and the injuries were exposed as if they had suffered an accident.

She alleged that the incidents made it clear that the violence took place under the supervision of senior prison officials, and further alleged that the officials failed to provide him with appropriate treatment, thereby violating fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

The YouTuber’s mother prayed for an order to relevant authorities to conduct a “judicial investigation” into the “custody violence” and provide “appropriate medical treatment” at a private hospital.

Shankar was arrested by the Coimbatore city police on May 4, 2024, after registering an FIR under various sections of the IPC and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act and the Information Technology Act for allegedly defaming women police personnel and a top cop. He was later remanded to Coimbatore Central Jail.