Madurai: In response to the alleged custodial death of temple security guard Ajith Kumar, the Tamil Nadu government has taken decisive action, including shifting the Sivaganga District Superintendent of Police, Ashish Rawat, and arresting five police personnel. The case has now been transferred to the Crime Branch, Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) for a thorough probe, even as the Madras High Court's Madurai Bench has initiated a suo motu hearing into the grave allegations.

Ajith Kumar, 23, was reportedly picked up by police on June 28 for questioning in connection with a complaint filed by two women, Sivakami and her daughter Nikitha, who alleged that around 10 sovereigns of gold jewellery were missing from their car. Kumar subsequently died during the inquiry.

Following the incident, SP Ashish Rawat was placed on "compulsory wait" at the DGP's office in Chennai, with Ramanathapuram SP G Chandeesh given additional charge of Sivaganga district. The Tamil Nadu government had already suspended six police personnel from duty earlier.

The Madras High Court's Madurai Bench, upon hearing the suo motu case on Tuesday, saw serious allegations presented. Advocate Henri Tiphagne submitted photographic evidence purportedly showing Ajith Kumar beaten with plastic pipes and iron rods, and a video allegedly depicting police assaulting him was also played before the judges. During the hearing, a judge questioned why the police had not registered a formal case for the jewellery theft complaint initially. Advocate Marish Kumar had previously filed a petition in the case, and Advocate Henri Tiphagne has also sought to be added as a petitioner.

An official statement from the Tamil Nadu government affirmed that all legal procedures mandated in custodial death cases have been followed with transparency. Based on the findings of the post-mortem report received last night, the case has been officially converted into a criminal matter. Consequently, five police personnel have been arrested and a case registered at the Tirupuvanam Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) Act, forwarded for judicial investigation. The state government maintains that appropriate investigations have been conducted without delay.
With inputs from ANI