A year ago, as the chief of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), C Joseph Vijay vowed justice for victims of custodial violence. The numerous human rights violations during the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) rule had created deep resentment towards the party and contributed to the rise of the TVK.
Now, less than three months after Vijay became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, four people have died due to custodial torture in the state. In response, both Chief Minister Vijay and the TVK have adopted silence.
Less than a month after Vijay took office, on June 8, Venkatesan, a 28-year-old driver from Chennai, lost his life allegedly due to police torture.
On July 13, Sabarivarman, a 35-year-old from Nagercoil, was beaten to death in prison. The torture was confirmed through CCTV footage and the 19 injuries on his body, reported in the post-mortem.
Sabarivarman was a disabled man. His wife Anandavalli said, “I was devastated when I saw my husband’s body — a blood clot in his handicapped right wrist, and injuries to his shoulder, left elbow, and private parts. His face had turned black."
On July 15, two days after Sabarivarman’s death a 45-year-old prisoner called P Balaji died in judicial custody in Puzhal prison.
On July 23, a fourth person died in Tamil Nadu due to alleged police violence. Arunachalam, a 24-year-old from Thoothukudi, died a week after he was allegedly tortured by the Thoothukudi South police.
The torture entrenched in Tamil Nadu’s policing methods can be eradicated only through a systemic approach.
On July 12 last year, Vijay had sat with at least 18 families affected by custodial violence. He had consoled them, offered financial assistance, and vowed to ensure justice. Vijay had also called upon the then DMK government to apologise to the 24 families affected by State violence and deliver justice to them.
Yet, more than two months into occupying the Chief Minister’s office, Vijay has not uttered a single word against custodial violence or the need for police reform.
Amidst the TVK’s silence about the police excesses during their rule, the lone voice of dissent has come from its alliance partner, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK).
On June 28, the party's senior leader and Social Welfare Minister Vanni Arasu participated in an event organised by the Joint Action Against Custodial Torture (JAACT), to mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture at Asha Nivas, Nungambakkam, Chennai. Vanni Arasu, who identified himself as a survivor of torture, told the gathering that he would ensure that Chief Minister Vijay prioritises custodial reforms to end the violent culture of policing in Tamil Nadu.
The question is if Chief Minister Vijay is ready to prioritise police reform. If so, are there any signs of the government moving towards it?
While the swift arrest of 11 persons, including three prison staff, in connection with the custodial death in Kanniyakumari is welcome, some serious problems in the government’s stance need to be examined.
For instance, IPS officer A Arun, whose tenure as Commissioner of Greater Chennai had seen a number of extra judicial killings, was recently appointed to lead the Tamil Nadu Police Academy.
Arun was transferred from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption due to corruption allegations against him. Even so, Chief Minister Vijay, who also heads the Home Department, should understand the implications this appointment will have for future generations of police officers.
The police academy being led by an allegedly tainted officer is not good news for those concerned about the rampant human rights abuses by the Tamil Nadu police. It also runs contrary to Chief Minister Vijay’s promise last year to the victims of police brutality. To end police brutality, the attitudes of personnel in the force must be shaped appropriately in their formative years.
Five years ago, then Chief Minister Stalin constituted the fifth Police Commission right after he came to power. It recommended reforms including a pay hike, initiatives for fostering public-police relationships, and mental health training for police personnel. However, none of these reforms was implemented. In fact, many of these reforms had been recommended by the National Police Commission in 1979.
Last year, the human rights’ organisation People’s Watch submitted several recommendations for reforms to the state Assembly. These included compliance with court rulings, such as CCTV cameras in all police stations and post-mortem halls.
Henri Tiphagne, the executive director of People’s Watch recalled that the Supreme Court had, in July 2025, introduced directions for how the prison system should treat disabled persons.
He said, “The state has not only failed to implement the decision protecting disabled prisoners, but also injured a man’s disabled arm.”
He also pointed out that in 2023, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court mandated that a board comprising civil society should be established to scrutinise prisons and assist correctional administration. The order was issued in a petition filed by People’s Watch seeking the appointment of trained and skilled Non-Official Board of Visitors to Jails to address the grievance of prisoners and help the development of correctional administration.
Henri also called for the implementation of another landmark Supreme Court ruling, to eradicate caste-based segregation in prisons, which too has not been implemented.
While the newly formed government is looking into various issues, it has not prioritised prison and custodial justice yet, Henri alleged.
A systemic approach is the only way to tackle a systemic issue. This should involve anti-torture legislation for the state.
India signed the United Nations Convention Against Torture in 1997 and since then has been promising the enactment of a dedicated anti-torture law, but to no avail. Even in 2024, the Union government vowed to ratify the Convention, but has not yet done so. Even if the Union government shows reluctance, Chief Minister Vijay, through his new-age political project, should fulfil that promise.
In fact, it is well within his mandate, as Law and Order, along with Police, is a state subject as per the Constitution of India. Moreover, the families of victims of custodial violence have a legitimate expectation of non-repetition of such incidents.
As Sabarivarman’s wife Anandavalli said, “Chief Minister Vijay should give permanent solutions for such issues.”
Edgar Kaiser is a human rights lawyer at People's Watch. He regularly writes on issues such as police excesses, minority rights, and human rights institutions, among others.
Views expressed are the author's own.