Following widespread anger that erupted after 28-year-old Ajith Kumar died in the custody of the police from the Sivaganga district police in Tamil Nadu state, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said that severe action will be taken against the offenders. Stalin chaired a law and order meeting on Monday and said “Under Dravidian model of governance by way of punishment will be afforded regardless of who they are, be it rowdies, politicians or even policemen”.
Posting on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Stalin declared, “The government’s action against dereliction of duty will be very stringent in matters involving drugs, illicit liquor, women’s safety, and lockup deaths. Anyone who fails in their duty will face extremely severe action from the government.”
Ajith Kumar, a temporary temple security guard, reportedly died on June 28 while being questioned at the Tirubuvanam police station in connection with a theft case involving gold and cash missing from a devotee’s car. The death has triggered widespread criticism of the police force. As of now, six officers involved in the interrogation have been suspended.
AIADMK Demands Judicial Probe and Compensation
AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami condemned the incident and demanded a judicial inquiry led by a district judge. He also insisted that the victim’s family be given proper compensation. “To uncover the full truth, a judge-led committee must be formed, and those responsible should be punished,” he said, criticizing Stalin for failing to manage the police force, which falls under his direct supervision. Palaniswami described the CM as a “doll chief minister.”
CPI(M) and Allies Demand Murder Case
Even the DMK’s ally the Communist Party of India (Marxist) took a solid stand by calling for murder charges against the accused policemen. CPI(M) also called for a government job for the family of the deceased and compensation.
Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader Panruti T. Velmurugan reiterated these views by stating that legal procedures must ensure that all involved officers must justice.
Opposition Leaders Slam Government Over Repeated Custodial Deaths
Tamil Nadu BJP claimed that the DMK government has made the state the “motherland of lockup deaths,” citing 24 such incidents under the current administration. AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran accused Stalin of being emotionally performative, asking what he would say about police violence happening under his leadership.
PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss pointed to a total of 28 custodial deaths in the last four years, saying the DMK government has gravely failed to uphold human rights. Drawing a comparison to the infamous Sathankulam custodial deaths during the AIADMK regime, Ramadoss demanded that Stalin resign if he had a conscience.
As calls for justice grow louder, public attention is now focused on whether the state will take decisive legal action or if the case will become another statistic in Tamil Nadu’s alarming record of custodial deaths.
