SIVAGANGA: A 27-year-old temple security guard, who was detained for interrogation by the Thirupuvanam police in connection with a theft incident, died in police custody in Sivaganga on Saturday. A senior police officer, who confirmed this, said SP Ashish Rawat has launched an investigation into the incident. It will require more time to determine what exactly happened, the police officer said.
Police said, the theft occurred on Friday in front of the Madapuram Kaliamman Temple, managed by the HR&CE department in Thirupuvanam. J Nikita (42) of Thirumangalam in Madurai visited the temple on Friday afternoon with her family, including her 75-year-old mother Sivakami. B Ajithkumar, (27) an outsourced temple security employee, was on duty.
Nikita allegedly sought Ajithkumar’s help to take her mom inside the temple for darshan before handing him her car key to park the vehicle. Upon returning from the temple, Nikita checked her bag in the car and found that a gold thali chain, two gold bangles, and two gold rings, totalling 9.5 sovereigns, were missing. She then lodged a complaint with the temple authorities and a police complaint at the Thirupuvanam police station.
Police said, Ajithkumar was taken for interrogation but was released on Friday. Later, a special police team took him for interrogation on Saturday.
During inquiry, he was allegedly beaten up for providing contradictory information and subsequently died in custody.
“It is yet to be confirmed whether the jewellery were stolen by him,” the sources said. A case has been registered under Section 176 of BNSS (procedure for police investigations of cognizable offences). His body has been shifter to Government Rajaji Hospital for postmortem.
SP Ashish is holding inquiry with the policemen.