Court summons complainant in jewellery theft case related to Sivaganga custodial death

Following the closure of the case relating to alleged theft of jewellery on the basis of which B. Ajith Kumar, a 29-year-old temple security guard, was illegally detained and later died during interrogation, Madurai Chief Judicial Magistrate K. Selvapandi has summoned the complainant Nikitha.

Ms. Nikitha was summoned to appear before the court on March 4. Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had informed the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that the jewellery theft connected to the illegal custodial death case of Ajith Kumar in Sivaganga district had been closed. So far, 10 police personnel have been named as accused in the custodial death case. The CBI has filed a charge sheet and a supplementary charge sheet in the case.

Five police personnel — Prabhu, Kannan, Sankara Manikandan, Raja, and Anand — were arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Later, Ramachandran (police driver), was also named as an accused in the case and remanded in judicial custody. Subsequently, the then Manamadurai Deputy Superintendent of Police N. Shanmugasundaram, the then Thirupuvanam Inspector of Police P. Ramesh Kumar, the then Sub-Inspector Siva Kumar, and the then Head Constable Ilayaraja were additionally named as accused.

Ajith Kumar was a temporary security employee at the Badrakali Amman Temple in Madapuram in Sivaganga district. On June 27, 2025, Ms. Nikitha from Thirumangalam in Madurai district and her mother visited the temple. She had reportedly handed the car key to Ajith Kumar and asked him to park the vehicle, as she needed to help her mother, who had difficulties walking.

It is alleged that when Ms. Nikitha and her mother returned, they found their bag in the car open and the gold ornaments inside missing. Ajith Kumar was taken in for interrogation. On June 28, 2025, he died during the interrogation. The State government had transferred the investigation into both cases to the CBI.