Members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) protested near Red Cross demanding an independent probe into the controversial suicide of Deputy Superintendant of Police of Thiruchengode, R.R. Vishnupriya, here on Wednesday.

With the Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announcing in the Assembly that the State would conduct a CB-CID investigation, some political parties have demanded a CBI investigation on the issue.

Vishnupriya, while serving as the DSP, was heading the investigations on the alleged murder of V. Gokulraj, a Dalit youth by Yuvaraj and three other members of a caste outfit in June.

However, according to her batch mates, she was allegedly harassed by higher officials while she was probing the murder. One of her friends, DSP from Keezhakarai Subdivision, K. Mageshwari told reporters on the September 19 that Vishnupriya had taken the extreme step because of harassment from her superiors. However, the allegations were denied by Namakkal Superintendent S.R. Senthil Kumar.

Even her parents had alleged that she was driven to suicide because of her superiors and demanded a video coverage of her post-mortem, and also a CBI probe into the murder.

A suicide note she had written had also stirred up a controversy over her suicide. According to officials, she had written a 10-page letter, of which five were addressed to her parents. She was supposed to have said that she was taking the step because of her inability to continue as a police officer.

However, officials allegedly denied to reveal the letter as fresh controversies were brewing about it being a 15-page note.

The issue was taken up in the Assembly on Tuesday by the Opposition with the DMK’s E.V. Velu and CPI(M) member A. Soundararajan making a mention and demanding CBI probe.

However, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said that a state CB-CID investigation would be adequate to solve the case.

“The suicide of (DSP) Vishnupriya is not a very complicated case warranting a CBI probe. CB-CID would expeditiously handle the case in an impartial manner,” she was quoted as saying in the Assembly.

On Saturday evening, soon after the CB-CID took charge of the suicide case probe, CB-CID DSP Rajan and his team visited Vishnupriya’s official residential quarters in Tiruchengode. The team inspected the room where Vishnupriya hanged herself and interrogated the policemen posted at the DSP’s camp office. They also investigated the team of police who stormed into her quarters first. On Sunday, CB-CID SP G. Nagajothi visited the office of Namakkal rural Superintendent of Police and interrogated senior police officials there. SP Nagajothi and a 10-member team started their probe at the office of the Superintendent of Police at Namakkal. The team interrogated Namakkal rural S.P. Senthilkumar for a few hours. The CB-CID team has also decided to probe the murder of Gokulraj. Eventually, they interrogated the police team formed to nab Yuvaraj, the prime accused in Gokulraj’s murder. Yuvraj is still on the run.

However, Vishnupriya’s friend Mageshwari had alleged that Vishnupriya had lamented over arresting three innocent persons in connection with the murder of Gokulraj. She had also added that Vishnupriya had sent her a text stating that she was going to meet a senior official on the day of her alleged suicide and allegedly did not respond after that.

In the meantime, political parties have started protesting to transfer the case to CBI.

While DMK has gone to the High Court for the changeover, and Tamil Nadu Congress President E.V.K.S. Elangovan staged a protest in Chennai, members of CPM staged a demonstration in Coimbatore demanding an impartial CBI probe since higher officials are involved in the case.