The Tamil Nadu government, on Friday, November 10, has accorded formal sanction to prosecute former Ambasamudram Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and IPS officer Balveer Singh. TNM’s investigation revealed that the suspended police officer was accused of torturing detainees including a minor from marginalised communities, at the Ambasamudram police station in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district. The issue came to light on March 27 this year, when a video of three men was circulated on social media alleging that they were tortured by Balveer Singh and other police officers at the police station.
According to reports, the investigation into the four cases against Balveer has been completed by the Tamil Nadu Crime Branch-CID police, who will be filing a chargesheet against him. However, an allegation that was made against the IPS officer for which he was booked under Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has been dropped.
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The victims had alleged that Balveer took each of them into a room and plucked their teeth out with cutting pliers, with other policemen holding their legs and arms. He was also alleged to have crushed the testicles of two people who were taken into custody. The allegations created a major uproar, leading to Balveer Singh's suspension and registration of cases against him. He had allegedly tortured around 15 suspects in three different police stations - Kallidaikurichi, Vikramasingapuram and Ambasamudram.