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Ajith Kumar, a 27-year-old temple guard from Sivaganga, died after allegedly being brutally tortured in front of his brother by a police ‘special team’ while in illegal custody, on Sunday, June 29. His death marks the 24th custodial death recorded in Tamil Nadu under the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) regime.
Sources told TNM that at least 15 external injury marks and grievous internal injuries were found on Ajith Kumar’s body during the post-mortem that was conducted for more than five hours at Madurai Government Rajaji Hospital.
Eyewitness statements recorded by judicial sub magistrate Venkatesh Prasad confirm that Ajith Kumar was severely assaulted by members of a ‘special police team’ in the presence of his brother Naveen Kumar, who saw Ajith collapse and die later.
He was initially detained on June 27, following a complaint filed by two women, Sivakami and her daughter Nikita, who alleged that ten sovereigns of gold jewellery had gone missing from their car.
Investigations revealed that Ajith Kumar, his brother Naveen, and three others were picked up by the special team and taken to various locations in Tirupuvanam for interrogation, not to a police station. All five were allegedly beaten during these unofficial interrogations, and Ajith eventually lost consciousness.
Sources told TNM that a detailed statement of Naveen was recorded by the Judicial Magistrate, and further investigation into the custodial death is underway.
This marks the 24th such case in Tamil Nadu since the DMK assumed power in 2021, where individuals reported to be in good health at the time of arrest died in custody. The repeated pattern of custodial deaths has raised grave concerns about police conduct and the use of force. Despite long-standing demands for reform, custodial violence remains entrenched in many police stations across the state.
Ajith Kumar, a resident of Madapuram village, was employed as a temporary security guard at the famous Madapuram Badrakaliamman Temple in Tirupuvanam.
According to the police, the women had asked Ajith to park the vehicle. As he did not know how to drive, he sought help to park the car and returned the keys to Nikita.
Ajith was first taken to the Tirupuvanam police station, where he and four other temple staff were questioned. They were later released.
However, later that night, the same five individuals were detained again by a six-member special team for further interrogation. At around 4 am on June 28, the team also picked up Ajith’s younger brother Naveen.
“They didn’t take us to the police station. We were driven around in the police vehicle. The police took us to a lake area. They tied my brother’s hands and beat me for nearly half an hour, trying to make him confess,” Naveen Kumar told the inquiry.
The group was moved between several locations. First near the Thirupuvanam Veterinary Hospital, then behind the Madapuram school hostel, and finally to an isolated lake area behind the local bus depot. It was there, according to Naveen, that Ajith was beaten for hours until he collapsed.
Naveen told the judicial inquiry that Ajith, in his desperation to stop the torture, offered to help recover the missing gold if he was taken to a cow shed behind the Assistant Commissioner’s office at the temple.
“When the police took him there, he admitted he had lied. He just couldn’t bear the torture anymore,” Naveen said.
Ajith collapsed soon after. The police later informed Naveen that his brother had been taken to a private hospital, where he was declared ‘brought dead’. His body was moved to Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai for post-mortem.
Six policemen from the special team have since been placed under suspension. They have been identified as Prabhu, Kannan, Sankara Manikandan, Raja, Anand, and Ramachandran. A first information report (FIR) has been registered under section 176 (procedure for investigation) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which pertains to deaths in custody.
The residents of Madapuram village staged a protest outside the police station, demanding arrests of the officers involved. So far, no FIR directly charging the policemen with assault or murder has been filed.
Meanwhile, local DMK functionaries visited Ajith’s house and held discussions with the family members. Tensions escalated when All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) members and villagers objected to Ajith’s family being transported in a vehicle bearing a DMK flag, escorted by police.
According to local residents, this has become a recurring pattern in custodial violence cases, where DMK functionaries arrive soon after such incidents and allegedly urge families not to pursue legal action against the police.
The family has reportedly been promised Rs 5 lakh compensation and a government job by Cooperation Minister Periyakarupan, who represents Sivaganga district. However, no official communication confirming this has been released by the minister’s office.