CHENNAI: DMK president MK Stalin on Saturday alleged that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had remained silent over the death of a 24-year-old man from Thoothukudi who allegedly died after being subjected to police custody, and demanded that the Chief Minister respond to the incident.
In a post on social media platform X, Stalin accused the State government of failing to show accountability or compassion following the death of Arunachalam, a resident of Amudha Nagar in Thoothukudi district.
Condemning the incident, Stalin alleged that custodial deaths had become a matter of serious concern under the present dispensation and questioned when the Chief Minister would break his silence on such incidents.
The DMK president recalled that before elections, Vijay had demanded explanations from the then government over custodial deaths and questioned whether merely expressing regret was sufficient.
Stalin alleged that after assuming office as Chief Minister, Vijay had failed to even offer an apology or publicly express condolences to Arunachalam's family.
"The Chief Minister, who once sought accountability from the previous government, has now remained silent despite repeated allegations of custodial deaths. The people deserve an explanation and the victim's family deserves justice," Stalin said.
He urged the State government to order a fair and transparent investigation into the incident, ensure that those responsible are brought to justice, and take stringent measures to prevent the recurrence of custodial deaths in Tamil Nadu.