Chennai, July 14 (IANS) AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday criticised the ruling DMK government, urging Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to immediately provide compensation and government jobs to the families of those who died in police custody.

In a post on social media platform X, Palaniswami highlighted the case of Meena, the wife of a man called Murugan, who allegedly died in police custody in Sankarankoil in March 2024.

He said that despite the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court ordering a government job for Meena, she has neither received employment nor any financial relief from the state government.

“Reports indicate that the DMK government has not offered Meena, a daily wage earner, any assistance so far. She continues to struggle to support her three children, earning just Rs 300 a day,” Palaniswami said.

Directing his criticism at Chief Minister Stalin, Palaniswami questioned the government’s silence and inaction.

“Mr. Stalin, what is your response to the plight of Meena, who lost her husband due to the brutality of your police?”

He also raised concerns about another alleged custodial death — that of temple security guard Ajith Kumar from Thiruppuvanam. He claimed that the state hurriedly offered compensation in the form of a job and land, but the family found the benefits unsuitable and inadequate.

“There seems to be no concrete steps being taken to prevent lock-up deaths, nor a sincere effort to deliver justice or relief to the affected families,” he said.

Palaniswami accused the DMK government of being indifferent to the suffering of victims’ families, branding it as “an anti-people regime.”

He demanded that the state act immediately and fairly compensate all families of custodial death victims.

“I urge the @mkstalin model DMK government to provide appropriate compensation without further delay to those who have lost loved ones in police custody,” the AIADMK leader added.

–IANS

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