As outrage grows over the custodial death of 27-year-old temple security guard Ajithkumar in Thirubhuvanam, attention has turned to the woman whose complaint allegedly led to the fatal police assault: Dr Nikitha, a faculty member at a government college in Dindigul. Initially assumed to be a medical doctor, it was later revealed that she was a Ph.D holder.
Ever since the news of the custodial death broke, Nikitha and her mother were absconding and untraceable – for about five days. Her name surfaced not only in the police brutality case but also in earlier complaints of misconduct, abuse of power, and alleged job-related fraud.
Academic Role Under Scrutiny
Now fresh revelations have emerged about Nikitha casting further doubt on her conduct and accountability as a public servant. Nikitha served as the Head of the Botany Department at M.E.M. Government Women’s Arts College in Dindigul. It is alleged that she has not reported to work for the past five days and is currently absconding. However, her tenure there was far from controversy-free. In 2024, a group of students from the department submitted a formal complaint to the Dindigul District Collector, accusing her of continuous verbal harassment and mental abuse. The students alleged that the toxic academic environment created by Nikitha was adversely affecting their education and well-being.
In response, the District Collector reportedly forwarded the complaint to the college administration with a recommendation for disciplinary action. However, no action appears to have been taken. Instead, Nikitha allegedly used her influence to retain her position at the institution, continuing to work at the same college despite the unresolved accusations. Sources suggest that the students’ grievances were not addressed adequately, and mental distress among them persisted.
Allegations Of Government Job Fraud
As the custodial death case was unfolding, victims of Nikitha’s accused her of orchestrating a long-running government job scam with her family. Multiple victims have come forward accusing Nikitha, her parents Sivagami and Jayaperumal (retired government officials), brother Kaviarasu, and relatives of defrauding them of lakhs – total amounting to crores – under false promises of government jobs between 2010 and 2017. Victims include retired employees, educators, and jobseekers who mortgaged assets and borrowed at interest to pay sums ranging from ₹7 to ₹80 lakhs. The family allegedly insisted on cash payments in ₹500 notes and later denied receiving them. Threats, absconding after complaints, and political name-dropping were reportedly used to silence victims. An FIR from 2011 named Nikitha and her family. Victims say this scam ruined their lives financially and emotionally, drawing parallels with the recent custodial death, which they claim follows the same pattern of manipulation and abuse.
Marriage Fraud
Thirumaran, founder of the South Indian Forward Bloc and former husband of Nikitha, accused her and her family of long-standing fraud, legal extortion, and abuse of bureaucratic influence. Speaking to the press, he alleged that Nikitha had a pattern of entering short-lived marriages, filing false dowry cases, and extorting large sums of money, claims he said applied to at least five men over two decades. He linked this pattern to the recent custodial death of Ajithkumar, asserting that Nikitha’s false complaint triggered the fatal police action. Thirumaran also alleged that Nikitha’s parents, allegedly a former DSP and Sub-Collector used their influence to shield the family from legal consequences. He called for Nikitha and her family to be treated as prime accused in the Ajithkumar case, asserting that the real root of the tragedy lies in false allegations and systemic manipulation, not merely police brutality.
The Ajithkumar Case: A Tipping Point
Ajithkumar, the 27-year-old temple security guard whose custodial torture and subsequent death came after Nikitha’s complaint over her allegedly missing jewels, was reported to have had over 50 brutal injuries, including deep wounds, head trauma, and cigarette burns—indicating prolonged torture.
Eyewitnesses had earlier alleged beatings with iron rods. Amid pressure, five police officers were arrested, a DSP suspended, and the district SP transferred. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court raised concerns about a fair state-led probe, prompting the official CBI takeover.
A video statement amid the developments by Nikitha raised further questions about her role. In the video, she recounts how Ajith helped with her mother’s wheelchair and later parked her car after she handed him the key. She narrated a sequence of events that were different from what was originally shared in the media. However, her narrative acknowledges that the key passed through multiple hands, yet only Ajith was accused and brutally assaulted. She also omitted reported details of an argument over ₹500, allegedly the trigger for the complaint. With no conclusive evidence linking Ajith to the missing jewellery, and inconsistencies in her account, public suspicion has intensified. Critics and past complainants have renewed calls for Nikitha to be named a formal accused and investigated alongside the police.
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