Officials said Mr Vijayakumar shot himself with the service revolver of his gunman
A police officer in Tamil Nadu was found dead with a bullet wound this morning at his home
C Vijayakumar, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Coimbatore, is suspected to have died by suicide, the police said.
Mr Vijayakumar allegedly shot himself with the service revolver of his gunman. He died at his home in Red Fields, Coimbatore.
The 2009 batch IPS (Indian Police Service) officer is said to have been struggling with depression for the past few months. He had reportedly complained of sleeplessness. His family members, based in Chennai, had shifted to Coimbatore recently to help him feel much better.
Chief Minister MK Stalin condoled the senior officer's death. In a statement, he said, "DIG Vijayakumar's death is a great loss. He has been an SP and held other responsibilities. He brought honour to Tamil Nadu".
"He is such a hardworking officer. It's a personal loss for me," said Tamil Nadu police chief Shankar Jiwal.
C Vijayakumar has served as the Superintendent of Police of Kanchipuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, and Tiruvarur districts. His last posting was in Chennai, where he served as the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Anna Nagar.
A wellness programme aimed at the mental health of police is already in place across the state - offering both online and offline counselling, besides a range of activities.