Act against police brutality, Thiruma tells govt

MADURAI: Expressing strong condemnation over the recent death of Ajith Kumar, a security guard, Madapuram Bathrakali Amman temple in Tiruppuvanam, Sivaganga district, in police custody, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan called for the government to act to end such incidents of custodial death.

“Such brutal acts in police custody seemed unending, not only in Tamil Nadu, but across India. Such acts are shocking, and they cannot be justified at all. However, Chief Minister MK Stalin’s immediate intervention in the issue gave some relief. No Chief Minister would transfer such a case of custodial death to the CBI, but Stalin did it, considering the seriousness of the issue. It has ensured the CM’s honesty and determination in the case,” said Thirumavalavan at Thiruppuvanam.

The VCK chief also wondered how the police could treat any suspect inhumanely without filing an FIR. “Any police investigation should start only after registering an FIR. It’s a gross violation of human rights. The behaviour of the police was not constitutional and therefore a crime against humanity,” he said.

Moreover, he said the police are commonly rude and arrogant. “The police mostly treat persons with disdain, and similarly, the same thing happened to me when I faced police interrogation. There’s no change or any effect on their behaviour patterns to change rude habits. Be it DMK or AIADMK or any other government, the police behaviour remains the same and custodial deaths are recurring,” he said.

He then, after meeting the grief-stricken family, demanded that the government provide victim compensation of Rs 1 crore to the family. He also consoled mother Malathi and brother Naveen