The suspended Ambasamudram Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Balveer Singh has been summoned by the Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) for investigation after he was accused of custodial torture. The IPS officer has been accused of breaking the teeth of detainees at the Ambai police station using stones and cutting pliers. On March 28, the SHRC took suo motu cognisance of the issue based on media reports. The human rights commission also directed the Inspector General of police or the director of the investigation division of the SHRC to submit a detailed report of the investigation in six weeks.
On March 26, three men from Ambasamudram recorded a video saying that they were tortured by Balveer Singh at the Ambai police station, and that their teeth were smashed using stones and other tools. One of the men in the video, Chellappa, said that his brother was kicked in the chest by the police officers at the station and was also sexually assaulted. The men in the video also said that the police officers made them take their clothes off and beat them with lathis. They added that they were threatened by the police to not reveal any of the details of the torture when produced in court.
When the incident came to light, Balveer Singh was transferred and placed on a compulsory waiting list. On March 29, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said in the Assembly that Balveer Singh has been suspended in response to a call attention motion raised by the opposition parties.