Chennai, Jul 13 (PTI) Founder-chief of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, actor-politician Vijay on Sunday slammed the DMK regime over "custodial deaths" and alleged the "empty, publicity-model DMK sarkar has now got transformed into a sorry model sarkar."
Addressing TVK's protest rally here, seeking justice for the death of alleged custodial torture victim Ajith Kumar of Sivaganga district, Vijay said the victim hailed from an ordinary family and Chief Minister M K Stalin apologised to the Kumar's family and it is appropriate.
This is the first time Vijay has led a protest demonstration and TVK cadres from several parts of the state gathered.
Clad in black, Vijay held a placard that read, "Sorry Vendam, Needhi Vendum (We want justice, not sorry)." The TVK chief asked whether "Stalin said sorry" to the families of all the 24 victims of alleged custodial torture (which resulted in deaths) during the DMK regime, since 2021.
"Please say sorry to them all; also, did you give solatium to the families of all the 24 victims? Please provide solatium to them as well," he said.
When the then AIADMK regime transferred the Sathankulam case (in which P Jeyaraj and his son J Benniks were allegedly tortured to death by police in 2020), Stalin had said that it was an insult to Tamil Nadu police, Vijay claimed.
The fledgling party's chief wondered if the DMK government, which days ago transferred the Ajith Kumar custodial death case to the CBI, has not caused the same insult and added that both instances were only the same.
Further, Vijay asked, "Why are you hiding behind the CBI?", which happens to be only the puppet of the RSS and the BJP. It was because his party, the TVK has sought a court-monitored probe by a special investigation team and "fearing" such a move, the DMK regime is hiding behind the union government.
The court has questioned the state government on several cases of "atrocities", including Anna University girl student sexual assault and Ajith Kumar custodial torture.
"If the court has to intervene and ask questions for everything, then why are you there? what is the purpose of the government? and the office of the chief minister?
Whatever may be the questions, there are not going to be any answers. The government may provide answers only if it had answers and it does not have any answers in this regard, he alleged.
"The maximum reply from you is sorry and the empty, publicity-model DMK sarkar has now got transformed into a sorry model sarkar," he alleged, mocking at the DMK government.
Before the end of the "inept DMK government's tenure," it has to set right the law and order situation. Else, by joining forces with the people, "we will make you do it," Vijay said.
Several TVK workers alleged that the police attempted to thwart them from reaching the site of demonstration. According to the TVK, family members of a number of victims of custodial torture took part in the rally.
After the Tamil Nadu government transferred the case to the CBI, the central agency registered a case on July, 12, 2025 against the police personnel of Sivaganga District (Tiruppuvanam) for the alleged custodial torture, that caused the death of B Ajit Kumar, who worked as a temple guard at the Madapuram Temple.
The CBI registered the case under section 103 (murder) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and it has taken over the investigation.
On June 28, 2025, twenty-nine-year old Ajith Kumar was beaten to death and a video clip of the guard getting beaten by a policeman in plain clothes went viral leading to outrage and the matter went to the Madras High Court as well.
'Sarkar' (government) is a popular Vijay-starrer movie that was released in 2018.