The custodial death case from Sathankulam in Tamil Nadu has resurfaced in national discourse after a landmark verdict by the Madurai Sessions Court. In a shocking case of custodial violence, nine police personnel have been awarded the death penalty for the deaths of a father and son in 2020. The court delivered its judgment after nearly six years of trial, terming the case as one of the “rarest of rare.”
The incident dates back to June 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, in Sathankulam town of Thoothukudi district. J. Bennix, a small mobile shop owner, and his father P. Jayaraj were detained by police for allegedly violating lockdown restrictions. When Bennix questioned the detention of his father, he too was taken into custody. Both were later subjected to severe custodial torture, which ultimately led to their deaths.
Initial police reports claimed that the victims were injured after falling and had threatened officers. However, subsequent investigations, including postmortem findings and witness testimonies, revealed extensive physical and sexual abuse. Evidence indicated that the victims were brutally assaulted for hours, leading to severe internal injuries. Bloodstains inside the police station and testimonies from personnel further exposed the extent of the violence.
The victims were produced before a magistrate without proper medical examination and remanded to judicial custody. Bennix died on June 22, 2020, followed by Jayaraj the next day while undergoing treatment. The case triggered nationwide outrage, with widespread protests and social media campaigns demanding justice. The Madras High Court took suo motu cognizance and handed over the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Delivering the verdict, the Madurai court convicted nine police personnel, including an inspector and sub-inspectors, and sentenced them to death. The court observed that misuse of authority leading to such extreme brutality cannot be tolerated and that strict punishment is necessary to uphold the rule of law and deter similar crimes.