A court in Madurai on Monday sentenced nine police personnel to death in the 2020 custodial deaths of a father and son in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu. The case had sparked nationwide outrage and renewed debate on custodial violence in India.
The victims, trader P Jayaraj and his son J Benicks, died days after being taken into custody by police in June 2020.
Court Calls It “Rarest of Rare” Case
Delivering the verdict, the court termed the incident a “rarest of rare” case, highlighting the extreme brutality and abuse of authority involved.
“Father and son were stripped and ruthlessly assaulted… Heart shudders reading about it,” the court observed, underlining that such actions represented a grave violation of human rights.
At the same time, the court noted that the judgment should not instill fear among honest police officers and reaffirmed that many officers perform their duties with integrity.
Brutal Torture Inside Police Station
According to the investigation, Jayaraj and Benicks were picked up on June 19, 2020, allegedly for keeping their mobile shop open beyond permitted hours during the COVID-19 lockdown, a claim later found to be false.
They were taken to the Sathankulam police station, where they were allegedly subjected to hours of custodial torture. The chargesheet detailed that both men were stripped and beaten repeatedly with lathis while being restrained.
The victims suffered multiple injuries, including severe internal bleeding. Reports stated that their clothes had to be changed several times due to heavy bleeding.
“They were beaten mercilessly through the night,” the prosecution said, adding that the brutality shocked the conscience of society.
Both men later died in custody on June 22 and 23, 2020.
CBI Probe and Key Evidence
The case was later handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation following directions from the Madras High Court.
During the probe, over 100 witnesses were examined. A key testimony came from a woman constable who confirmed that the assault continued overnight and that there were blood stains inside the police station.
Investigators also found that crucial CCTV footage from the station had not been preserved, raising suspicions of evidence tampering.
The CBI argued that the accused acted with full knowledge that their actions could lead to death and pressed for the maximum punishment.
“This was a clear case of custodial torture leading to death, warranting the highest penalty,” the prosecution submitted.
Convictions and Sentencing
Those sentenced to death include Inspector Sridhar, Sub-Inspectors Balakrishnan and Raghu Ganesh, and several constables. A tenth आरोपी died during the trial due to COVID-19.
The court accepted the prosecution’s argument that the crime was premeditated and involved extreme cruelty, justifying capital punishment.
Nationwide Impact
The incident had triggered widespread protests across India in 2020, drawing attention to custodial violence and police accountability.
Families of the victims had alleged that the men were forced to clean their own blood and that police attempted to cover up the crime by filing false cases.
