The policing in Tamil Nadu has come under public scrutiny following the back-to-back events in the state that had sparked outrage against the state's law enforcement agency. Within ten days of an alleged custodial death of 25-year-old Vignesh in Chennai, Tamil Nadu has reported the second such death that turned heads towards the police force and these dreadful events had troubled the DMK government. 

48-year-old Thangamani was a resident of Tiruvannamalai and he has now become the latest victim of the custodial death as his family has alleged that he had died after being assaulted by the police. Thangamani was a farmer from Thattaranai village and he was arrested on April 26 by the police on the charges of making arrack illegally. He had died in police custody, the next day - April 27. The incident had drawn major attention across the state with the opposition parties demanding a probe from the central agency. 

Thangamani's family had said that before his arrest, the police had approached them and demanded a payment of Rs 2 lakh. The police said that the amount would be a fee for not arresting Thangamani. However, the family has refused to pay following which the police officials began to tease them by using their caste names. Thangamani belongs to the Malaikkuravar community, which falls under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. 

Thangamani's son 25-year-old Dhinakaran has said that the police had told them that it would cost over Rs 2 lakh to release Thagamani from the jail after they decided to register a case against him. However, his father had refused to pay and he was taken to the police station on the morning of April 26 and on April 27, the family was informed by the local councillor that Thangamani is dead. 

The family further alleged that the charges against Thangamani were false and he was taken to the Tiruvannamalai sub-jail on the morning of April 26. The wife of the deceased has alleged that her husband, Thangamani, was assaulted by the jail supervisor and he had lost so much blood. His wife Malar had moved her complaint to the District's Superintendent of Police. 

Dhinakaran further said that the family was allowed to see Thangamani's body only on April 27, and not on April 26, when he had died. Dhinakaran said that Thangamani's body was full of injuries, especially on his face. While the family is firm that he was assaulted by the cops that killed him, the police claimed that while Thangamani was in custody, he had suffered seizures. 

The Superintendent of Police said that Thangamani was arrested and remanded to judicial custody. But he got seizures due to alcohol withdrawal and was admitted to the hospital. However, he was later discharged and brought back to jail, where he again got seizures and was taken to hospital again. But he had died at the hospital. The incident has spurred a political heat with the ADMK demanding a CBI probe. By condemning the DMK government, ADMK's O Panneerselvam had demanded a CBI probe and a Rs 50 lakh exgratia to the Thangamani family. 

The matter had gone through a heated discussion in the assembly on Friday- April 29. ADMK's Edappadi Palaniswami has brought a special resolution over the death of Thangamani. Responding to the resolution, Chief Minister MK Stalin said that Thangamani had suffered seizures due to which he was taken to the hospital, where he died. The Chief Minister had assured that appropriate action will be taken after a Magistrate's enquiry.