Sivaganga custodial death: Special team followed instructions of DSP to interrogate Ajith Kumar “well” 

The Thirupuvanam police in Sivaganga district, had on June 29, 2025, registered a case claiming temple security guard B. Ajith Kumar (27) who died after an alleged custodial torture, suffered epilepsy and fell while trying to escape from police custody.

In a complaint lodged with the Thirupuvanam police on Sunday (June 29), head constable Kannan said the special team acted on the instructions of the Manamadurai Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) N. Shanmugasundaram to pick up Ajith Kumar and interrogate him in the theft case. A day earlier, a woman devotee who came to Madapuram Badrakaliamman Temple along with her elderly mother had alleged that 9.5 sovereigns of gold and ₹2,500 kept in her car were found missing when she returned after a darshan. Ajith Kumar had assisted in parking the vehicle while the woman went inside the temple with her elderly mother.

He said the team comprising head constable Prabhu, police constables Anand, Raja, Ramachandran and Sankaramanikandan made inquiries with Ajith Kumar on the missing jewellery. However, he gave information “which was either conflicting or did not corroborate with facts.“

When the team informed the DSP and Thirupuvanam Inspector P. Rameshkumar, they instructed to interrogate Ajith Kumar “well” and recover the stolen valuables. During the inquiry, Ajith Kumar “tried to escape” and fell after suffering epilepsy. He was taken to a hospital in Sivaganga and then to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai where doctors said that he had died on the way to the hospital.

No mention of FIR on theft case

A case was registered in the Thirupuvanam police station in the wee hours on Sunday based on this complaint. However, there was no mention whether any theft case was registered on the complaint lodged by the woman devotee. The woman had given an interview to television channels that no case was registered on her complaint.

Video of assault emerges

Meanwhile, a 38-second video, shot on mobile phone, showing police personnel in plain clothes beating a suspect, presumed to be Ajith Kumar, with pipes, has emerged. The video which went viral in social media, shows the suspect sitting on the floor while three policemen take turns to assault him with pipes.