CHENNAI: Denouncing the DMK government over the alleged custodial death of 27-year-old temple security guard Ajith Kumar in Sivagangai district, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to initiate an investigation into the incident, apart from looking into all the custodial deaths reported under the incumbent.
“It is shocking to learn that the victim had sustained 18 injuries from head to toe, and the cause of death was the extreme pressure applied to his neck. The reports in the media, regarding autopsy findings, clearly indicate that this is a murder committed by the police,” Palaniswami stated in a social media post on Tuesday.
However, the police filed an FIR trying to hide it as death due to "seizure," he said.
The deaths of 25 individuals in police custody under the Chief Minister MK Stalin-led DMK regime are blatant violations of human rights, deeming a proper inquiry by the NHRC, Palaniswami said. He urged the national human rights body to investigate all custodial deaths that have occurred during the present government’s tenure.
Claiming that CM Stalin would try to cover up Ajith Kumar’s death, as he allegedly did in the case of Vignesh (25), who died in police custody in early 2022, Palaniswami said he had directed party functionaries to launch a nationwide campaign ‘#JusticeForAjithkumar’ and ‘#NationWithAjith’ to draw national attention to custodial deaths in Tamil Nadu.
“The CM must take full responsibility,” he said.