Chennai, 12 July (H.S.): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a murder case against police personnel in Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga district in connection with the custodial death of 29-year-old temple guard Ajit Kumar. The agency has taken over the probe, officials said. Kumar, who worked as a security guard at the Bhadrakaliamman Temple in Tiruppuvanam, was picked up by the police on June 27 for interrogation in a jewel theft case. He was declared brought dead at a government hospital the next night.

The post-mortem examination revealed that Kumar had sustained 44 external injuries on his legs, arms, abdomen, and chest, with at least 19 of them being deep and extending up to the muscle. The death could have occurred 12-24 hours before the post-mortem, according to the report by forensic surgeons of the Madurai Medical College Hospital. However, the exact cause of death is yet to be determined pending further histopathological examination.

The CBI's decision to take over the investigation comes after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin ordered the transfer of the probe to the federal agency. Stalin had expressed anguish over Kumar's death, terming it unjustifiable and assured the family of a honest and transparent probe. The state government will extend full cooperation to the CBI in the investigation.

The case has sparked widespread outrage, with demands for accountability and justice for Kumar's family. The Madras High Court's Madurai bench had allowed the CB-CID probe into the matter before the case was transferred to the CBI. The court has directed the CBI to complete the probe by August 20 and submit its final report to the jurisdictional court.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary