Daijiworld Media Network – Chennai
Chennai, Jul 2: A disturbing video allegedly showing police personnel thrashing a man inside a police station in Tamil Nadu's Theni district has surfaced, triggering renewed outrage just days after the alleged custodial death of Ajith Kumar, a 28-year-old security guard from Sivaganga district.
The footage, dated January 14, between 11:00 am and 12:40 pm, reportedly shows multiple instances of high-handed behaviour by uniformed officers. In the clips, a man in custody is slapped, kicked with boots, and beaten with a stick by different policemen inside the station premises. NDTV, which accessed the footage, has not independently verified its authenticity.
A senior police officer told NDTV the man was allegedly drunk and taken into custody following complaints of public nuisance. “He even created a ruckus inside the station,” the officer said. However, acknowledging the severity of the video, the official added, “Whether this amounts to police excess will be determined by the enquiry report.”
Interestingly, the video was not part of any internal investigation. It was released under the Right to Information (RTI) Act in connection with an unrelated case, and the lawyer involved made it public.
The timing of the video’s emergence has added fuel to the fire over Ajith Kumar’s death in police custody. The temporary temple security guard was allegedly tortured over a jewellery theft case. His death has sparked statewide protests, prompting the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court to remark, “Even a murderer wouldn’t be attacked like this.”
In a significant move, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, insisting that the investigation must be above suspicion. So far, five police personnel have been arrested in the Ajith Kumar case, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) has been suspended, and the Superintendent of Police (SP) has been placed under compulsory wait.
Tamil Nadu has recorded more than 20 custodial deaths in the past four years. While the ruling DMK government has termed such incidents “unpardonable” and has claimed strict action in each case, human rights activists argue these repeated events point to a deeper systemic rot.
The recurring surfacing of such videos continues to raise serious concerns over custodial violence, human rights violations, and the apparent failure of police reforms and sensitisation efforts aimed at preventing abuse of power.