The death of Ajith Kumar, a 27-year-old temple security guard, while in police custody in Tamil Nadu, has sparked widespread outrage and triggered a judicial inquiry. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has confirmed that Ajith Kumar died in police custody. The incident has led to arrests, a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and renewed focus on custodial deaths and police brutality in India.

Ajith Kumar was taken into custody on June 27, 2025, following a complaint by a woman who alleged that gold ornaments were stolen from her car while it was parked near the Madapuram Badrakaliamman Temple. Kumar worked as a security guard at the temple.

The police claimed that Ajith Kumar died of a seizure, but a video surfaced appearing to show him being beaten with lathis. The post-mortem report revealed a harrowing picture, documenting 44 external injuries to his body, including injuries to his hands, chest, ribs, back, and head, as well as dried blood around his ears and several internal injuries. At least 19 of these wounds penetrated deep into the underlying muscle. The court noted the severity of the injuries, stating that "even an ordinary murderer would not have caused these many injuries".

The Madras High Court took suo moto cognizance of the case, questioning the police about the violence inflicted on Ajith Kumar and asking, "Was he a terrorist to deserve this?". The court also sought details on other custodial deaths in the state over the past four years.

In response to the incident, the Tamil Nadu government has taken several actions:

• Five police personnel allegedly involved in Ajith's death were arrested and booked for murder.
• The Superintendent of Police for Sivagangai district, Ashish Rawat, was removed from his position and placed on "compulsory wait".
• The case was initially transferred to the CB-CID and subsequently to the CBI.
• The government provided financial compensation and a government job to Ajith Kumar's family.

The judicial inquiry, led by Judge John Suresh, is ongoing, and the final report is expected soon.

Several concerns have been raised regarding the circumstances surrounding Ajith Kumar's death and the broader issue of custodial deaths in Tamil Nadu:

• Unlawful Detention: Ajith Kumar was allegedly detained unlawfully for over 40 hours based solely on suspicion. No FIR was registered, and no record of arrest or detention was made.
• Police Brutality: Evidence suggests that Ajith Kumar was subjected to severe torture while in custody.
• Impunity: Activists and opposition leaders have pointed out the lack of convictions in custodial death cases, indicating a systemic issue of impunity within the police force.
• Rising Custodial Deaths: Concerns have been raised about the increasing number of custodial deaths in Tamil Nadu.

The death of Ajith Kumar has become a focal point in the discussion about police reform, accountability, and human rights in Tamil Nadu. Activists have demanded independent commissions to investigate custodial deaths, the installation of CCTV cameras in all lock-ups, and the automatic suspension of personnel involved in such deaths. The incident has also drawn comparisons to the Sathankulam case from 2020, where a father and son, Jayaraj and Bennix, died due to alleged police torture.