‘Custody Turned Killing Ground’: 9 Policemen Get Death Penalty in Sathankulam Custodial Death Case

In a landmark judgment, the First Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai has sentenced nine police personnel to death in the high-profile Sathankulam Custodial Death Case, terming it a grave violation of human rights.

The case pertains to the deaths of P. Jayaraj (58) and his son J. Bennix (31), who died in police custody in June 2020 in Sathankulam.

Pronouncing the sentence, Judge G. Muthukumaran observed that the accused, entrusted with maintaining law and order, had themselves violated the law and subjected the victims to brutal assault. The court held that the case fell under the “rarest of rare” category, warranting capital punishment. It also ordered a compensation of ₹1.40 crore to be paid to the victims’ family.

The court had earlier, on March 23, convicted the accused under multiple sections of the IPC, including murder and destruction of evidence. The judgment relied heavily on medical and forensic evidence, which established that the deaths were caused by custodial torture and not due to natural causes, as claimed by the defence.

According to the prosecution, the incident began on June 18, 2020, when police allegedly confronted individuals near Jayaraj’s shop during COVID-19 lockdown enforcement. Following an altercation, Jayaraj was taken into custody, and his son Bennix was detained the next day. Both were allegedly subjected to severe custodial assault inside the police station.

The case triggered nationwide outrage, leading to intervention by the Madras High Court, which transferred the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The CBI later filed a detailed chargesheet after an extensive probe.

The trial spanned nearly five years, with over 50 witnesses examined and substantial documentary and forensic evidence presented. The court rejected the defence’s claims of accidental or natural death, noting that the injuries were consistent with repeated assault.

The verdict is being seen as a strong message against custodial violence and police excesses, reaffirming that no individual is above the law.

#SathankulamCase #CustodialDeath #BreakingNews #HumanRights