Five policemen were arrested late Monday in connection with the custodial death of a 27-year-old temple security guard who died last week following alleged torture during interrogation in Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga district.
B Ajith Kumar was questioned on June 27 over a theft complaint involving missing gold from a devotee’s parked car at Madapuram Badrakaliamman Temple, where he worked as a guard. Though initially released, he was picked up again by a special team the next day, and later died in the hospital last Saturday.
The arrests followed mounting public pressure and a Madras High Court observation that the case should be treated with utmost seriousness.
According to the Tamil Nadu Police, the arrested personnel include Head Constable Kannan of Pazhayanur Police Station and Head Constable Prabhu of Manamadurai Police Station, Grade I Constables Raja (Poovandi PS), Anand (Sivaganga Traffic Police), and Sankaramanikkamthan (Tiruppuvanam PS). A sixth policeman, Ramachandran, a driver, has been suspended from service but not arrested.
The move came hours after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court sharply criticised the delay in police action. “If it were an armed person, the police could counter-attack. But this was an unarmed man in custody,” Justices S M Subramaniam and A D Maria Clete observed while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an AIADMK functionary.
Sources in the health and police departments confirmed that Kumar’s body bore 30 to 40 injury marks, including lathi blows near his anus and trauma to the head. CCTV footage reportedly showed Kumar walking unaided when he was brought in, but unable to stand when released. “He was bleeding and could not walk,” his brother said, insisting on his innocence.
A judicial inquest is underway. Officials have indicated that the case may be changed to murder, pending the final post-mortem report.
