
"Can't judge entire police force on two cases," Tamil Nadu DGP on custodial death of temple guard
Jul 11, 2025
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 11 : Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) Shankar Jiwal, in a press conference, addressed the recent custodial death of Ajith Kumar and said that one cannot judge the professionalism of the entire police force based on two cases.
DGP Jiwal said, "With two cases, we can't judge whether the Police force in any district is professional or not. We have to see it as a whole."
He said that in incidents relating to police brutalities, proper action is taken and added, "Few unfortunate incidents have happened for which we definitely took action and we apologised too (the custodial death of Ajith Kumar)."
DGP Jiwal also quoted the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data and said, "Similarly, 99.9% this is one of the most professional police. We can see having NCRB Statistics with other States also."
Earlier, Ajit Kumar was detained for questioning regarding a theft at the Madapuram Kaliamman temple in Tirupuvanam, where he worked as a security guard and then died while in police custody.
The Bharatiya Janata Party members are targeting the Stalin government and the Tamil Nadu police after the incident.
Tamil Nadu BJP Secretary SG Suryah on Thursday lashed out at the MK Stalin government in the state over an alleged custodial death, and said that the "injustice continues under the DMK rule".
"Another Lock Up death? Injustice continues under DMK rule," Suryah posted on X.
Referring to the recent custodial death of Ajith Kumar, the BJP leader said that another "atrocity" has occurred in the Kolathur assembly constituency, from where Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin has been elected.
"Even before the scars of the lockup murder of Thirupuvanam (Sivaganga district) brother Ajith Kumar heal, another atrocity has taken place in Chief Minister MK Stalin's own constituency, Kolathur. Is this Dravidian-style rule?" Suryah asked.
Criticising the police, the BJP leader said that an employee working in a milk company was "illegally detained, tortured and found dead" on Thursday."
"Naveen, an employee of Tirumala Milk Company, was illegally detained, tortured and found dead today on a money laundering complaint. Have the police become a nuisance to the common man under the DMK government?" Suryah asserted.
Questioning the delay in registering the FIR, the BJP leader criticised CM Stalin, accusing him of failing to maintain law and order in his own constituency.