TN custodial death: District SP on 'compulsory wait', 5 policemen arrested

The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday placed the district police chief of Sivaganga under “compulsory wait” over a custodial death, while five policemen have been arrested in connection with the incident that has caused a furore.

Ashish Rawat, IPS, Superintendent of Police, Sivaganga, has been “placed on Compulsory Wait at the O/o the Director General of Police/HoPF, Tamil Nadu, Chennai,” a Home Department note said.

G Chandeesh, IPS, SP, Ramanathapuram, will hold the additional charge of Sivaganga, the note from Dheeraj Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, added.

The victim, security guard Ajithkumar of Tiruppuvanam in Sivaganga, was picked up by the local police, reportedly in connection with a theft case earlier. His death later had sparked an outrage, with political parties slamming the government over the issue.

Five policemen have been arrested in connection with the incident.

An official release late on Monday said that six personnel had been placed under suspension on June 28.

A due probe was launched into the matter and following the post-mortem report received on Monday night, the next course of action was initiated “without any delay”, it said.

Subsequently, murder charges were invoked and “five policemen involved in the matter have been arrested,” it said.

A judicial enquiry has been ordered into the matter.

The state police has worked in a “just, transparent and unbiased” manner as regards this “unfortunate incident,” it said.

In the past five years, there has been a significant dip in custodial deaths in the state and whenever such incidents happen, appropriate action has been taken by the police department, the release added.