Three prison officials, including Chief Warden N. Suresh, were arrested following the custodial death of specially-abled Sabari Varman in Kanniyakumari.
An autopsy revealed nineteen distinct injuries on Sabari Varman's body, and CCTV footage confirmed he was assaulted inside the sub-jail.
Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin demanded that Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, who holds the Home portfolio, explain the circumstances of the death.
Police have arrested Chief Warden N. Suresh and two other prison staff members following the death of a specially-abled man in a Tamil Nadu sub-jail. Sabari Varman, 35, died on July 13 inside the Kanniyakumari district facility. South Thamaraikulam police had detained Varman on July 9 in a case involving gutkha.
The death sparked a fierce political row across Tamil Nadu as the opposition DMK targeted Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay for his silence on a subject he previously attacked with vigor when he sat in opposition.
Investigation Reveals Jail Assault
Family members gathered at the hospital after the death, alleging that jail guards assaulted Varman inside the prison. A post-mortem examination reportedly uncovered 19 wounds on his body.
A subsequent police probe and CCTV footage examination confirmed that an altercation took place inside the sub-jail on the night of July 12. Prison personnel allegedly assaulted Varman during this clash. This led to the arrest of Suresh and two other prison staff members.
Opposition Demands Public Accountability
Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin said the person in charge of the police department "must explain the circumstances surrounding the custodial death". Chief Minister Vijay personally manages the Home portfolio and supervises the state police department.
The opposition highlighted the difference between the current silence of Vijay and his past condemnation of prison fatalities under the previous administration. DMK politicians pointed to how Vijay behaved when a prisoner died during the tenure of former chief minister M.K. Stalin. Stalin owned up to the tragedy and expressed regret to the relatives of the deceased, party leader Paranthamen said according to a report by News 18.
"Vijay had then said, 'Sir, we don’t want your apology, we want justice'," Paranthamen recalled. "Today, the people of Tamil Nadu are telling Vijay, 'We don’t want reels, we want justice'."
DMK spokesperson Hafeezullah echoed the criticism, stating that Vijay previously turned prison fatalities into a central political campaign. The spokesperson added that the Chief Minister has now failed to prevent similar violence under his own administration.
"When Vijay was an opposition leader, he took up the issue of custodial deaths in a big way. Now in his government, police atrocities have led to a death inside a prison," Hafeezullah said.
