Latest news with #Section196
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
In Tamil Nadu, a temple guard's death after police questioning snowballs into political row, demands for Stalin's resignation
The death of a 27-year-old temple security guard following police questioning in Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga district has triggered a political row, with opposition leaders demanding a judicial inquiry, the arrest of police personnel, and the resignation of Chief Minister M K Stalin. B Ajith Kumar, who worked as a temporary guard at the Madapuram Badrakaliamman Temple near Tiruppuvanam, was picked up on Saturday by a special police team investigating a complaint of gold jewellery theft. The complaint had been filed by a devotee from Madurai, who alleged that 9.5 sovereigns of gold kept in her car went missing during her visit to the temple. Ajith, who briefly had access to the car key since he was helping her with parking, was questioned and released, but later detained again for further questioning. During the second round of questioning, Ajith reportedly complained of discomfort. Police took him to a hospital, where he was declared 'brought dead'. His family has alleged that he was tortured in custody. His younger brother, B Naveenkumar, claimed both of them were tied up and beaten during transport in a police vehicle. The incident prompted the immediate suspension of six police personnel attached to the Manamadurai sub-division. Superintendent of Police Ashish Rawat announced the suspensions on Sunday and promised a fair inquiry. Meanwhile, R Venkadesh Prasanth, the District Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate of Tiruppuvanam, has begun an inquest into the death. Police officials said a case has been registered under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. As news of the death spread, residents of Madapuram, along with AIADMK workers led by local MLA Senthilnathan, staged a road blockade demanding justice and that Ajith's family be allowed to travel in a government vehicle to retrieve the body. Tensions subsided only after district officials arranged for government transportation and assured compensation. AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami demanded a judicial magistrate-led probe and compensation for Ajith's family. 'Even if police suspect someone of a crime, they must follow due legal process. Custodial torture is unacceptable,' he said in a statement, accusing the DMK government of failing to rein in police excesses. BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran echoed similar concerns, alleging that Ajith was 'beaten over two days by seven policemen'. He referred to an earlier incident in which women, including a pregnant complainant, were allegedly assaulted at a police station. 'This points to a disturbing pattern of police brutality. The DMK government has failed to make police stations safe for the poor and the marginalised,' he said. PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss took direct aim at Chief Minister Stalin, citing 28 alleged custodial deaths in the past four years under the DMK regime. 'As opposition leader, Stalin had demanded the resignation of then-CM Palaniswami during the Sathankulam custodial deaths. If he has a conscience, he should now step down himself,' he said. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) demanded the arrest of all officers involved, calling the death a 'custodial murder'. NTK leader Seeman said suspensions were insufficient and demanded that a murder case be registered. DMDK's Premalatha Vijayakant called for systemic reforms to prevent further such deaths.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bombay high court's Aurangabad bench hears Somnath Suryawanshi custodial death petition' Prakash Ambedkar seeks SIT probe
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Monday raised the demand for a court-monitored independent SIT to probe into Somnath Suryawanshi's death in judicial custody on Dec 16, 2024. Ambedkar raised the demand as the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court heard a petition filed by Vijayabai Suryawanshi, mother of Somnath Suryawanshi (35). Somnath was arrested in connection with the protests that had turned violent over the desecration of the Indian Constitution monument in Parbhani. Appearing for the family in the court, VBA chief Ambedkar, besides demanding a court-monitored independent Special Investigation Team (SIT), also spoke about the "lack of a clear legal mechanism" to take further action under Section 196 of BNSS. The matter was heard by the HC division bench of Justice Vibha Kankanwadi and Justice Sanjay Deshmukh. Following the SOP, a CID committee was appointed by the state govt to investigate the custodial death and prepared a report. However, the high court during one of the earlier hearings stayed the CID's proceedings before the report could be finalised. Chief govt pleader Amarjeetsingh Girase, who represented the state during the hearing, said, "During the course of Monday's hearing, we on behalf of the state submitted that the inquiry by the SIT was completed. We (SIT) recorded the statements of more than 190 people and collected all relevant documents as well as electronic evidence crucial for this case. As the HC during the last hearing directed us not to finalise anything, today we sought permission to submit the final inquiry report. " While Ambedkar, who was present along with a battery of lawyers, strongly pitched for directives to the state to address "the legal gap" in BNSS. "There is a void in the law about what should follow after a judicial magistrate conducts an inquiry in custodial death cases. We urged the HC to address this legal gap," he told the media after the hearing. "The second major demand was for the formation of a court-monitored SIT to conduct an independent investigation. "Since the custodial death occurred while Somnath was in judicial custody, it is inappropriate for the same police machinery to carry out the probe. The court heard our request positively. We are expecting an order on this soon," he added. Authorities had initially attributed Somnath's death to cardiac arrest. A postmortem report, however, indicated injuries consistent with physical assault. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Monday raised the demand for a court-monitored independent SIT to probe into Somnath Suryawanshi's death in judicial custody on Dec 16, 2024. Ambedkar raised the demand as the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court heard a petition filed by Vijayabai Suryawanshi, mother of Somnath Suryawanshi (35). Somnath was arrested in connection with the protests that had turned violent over the desecration of the Indian Constitution monument in Parbhani. Appearing for the family in the court, VBA chief Ambedkar, besides demanding a court-monitored independent Special Investigation Team (SIT), also spoke about the "lack of a clear legal mechanism" to take further action under Section 196 of BNSS. The matter was heard by the HC division bench of Justice Vibha Kankanwadi and Justice Sanjay Deshmukh. Following the SOP, a CID committee was appointed by the state govt to investigate the custodial death and prepared a report. However, the high court during one of the earlier hearings stayed the CID's proceedings before the report could be finalised. Chief govt pleader Amarjeetsingh Girase, who represented the state during the hearing, said, "During the course of Monday's hearing, we on behalf of the state submitted that the inquiry by the SIT was completed. We (SIT) recorded the statements of more than 190 people and collected all relevant documents as well as electronic evidence crucial for this case. As the HC during the last hearing directed us not to finalise anything, today we sought permission to submit the final inquiry report. " While Ambedkar, who was present along with a battery of lawyers, strongly pitched for directives to the state to address "the legal gap" in BNSS. "There is a void in the law about what should follow after a judicial magistrate conducts an inquiry in custodial death cases. We urged the HC to address this legal gap," he told the media after the hearing. "The second major demand was for the formation of a court-monitored SIT to conduct an independent investigation. "Since the custodial death occurred while Somnath was in judicial custody, it is inappropriate for the same police machinery to carry out the probe. The court heard our request positively. We are expecting an order on this soon," he added. Authorities had initially attributed Somnath's death to cardiac arrest. A postmortem report, however, indicated injuries consistent with physical assault.
