Chennai, July 1 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday announced that the case involving the custodial death of Ajithkumar at the Tiruppuvanam police station in Sivaganga district will be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a thorough and impartial probe.

Addressing the media, the Chief Minister said the state government would extend full cooperation to the CBI during the course of the investigation and vowed that strict action would be taken against those responsible.

Ajithkumar, a young man taken into custody by the Tiruppuvanam police, died under mysterious circumstances, triggering widespread outrage and demands for accountability.

The Chief Minister revealed that six police personnel involved in the case were immediately suspended following the incident. Of these, five have been arrested and charged with murder.

Initially, the case was transferred to the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) for investigation. However, amid rising public concern, the government has now decided to entrust the probe to the CBI.

In a further administrative shake-up, the district superintendent of police has been placed on the waiting list, and the deputy superintendent of police has been suspended from service pending further inquiry.

The Chief Minister also spoke to Ajithkumar’s family and conveyed his heartfelt condolences. He assured them that the investigation would be conducted in a fair, transparent, and unbiased, and that justice would be delivered.

“Incidents such as this are deeply disturbing and completely unacceptable,” the Chief Minister said.

“Police personnel must respect human rights during their investigations. Any deviation from this duty undermines public trust and will not be tolerated.”

He emphasised that the government is committed to upholding the rule of law and will take every necessary step to prevent such incidents in the future.

“This government stands firmly for justice, accountability, and the protection of citizens’ rights,” the Chief Minister added.

The custodial death has sparked political and civil society reactions across Tamil Nadu, with opposition parties and human rights groups demanding an independent investigation and punishment for the guilty.

The Chief Minister’s decision to involve the CBI is expected to address demands for impartiality in the probe.

–IANS

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