Tamil Nadu: Father-Son Duo's Custodial Death Sparks Outrage, Eyewitnesses Claim They Were Sexually Assaulted

The custodial death of a father-son duo in Tamil Nadu has sparked widespread outrage and triggered protests across Sattankulam town of Thoothukudi district. The Madras High Court has directed police to submit a report on June 26 related to the deaths.

Police took Jayaraj and his son Bennicks into custody for interrogation on June 19, for keeping their mobile accessories shop open amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown. They filed a case against the duo for not following the curfew rules. Later, they were sent to the Kovilpatti sub-jail.

Relatives of the duo alleged that both of them were brutally tortured and assaulted in custody.

31-year-old Bennicks on June 22 complained of breathing trouble, and was admitted to a local government-run hospital, where he died around 9 PM. The next day, Jayaraj, 59, also died in a hospital where he had been admitted allegedly due to some illness, Scroll.in reported.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami informed that four police officers, including two sub-inspectors, have been suspended following the incident. A cash relief of Rs 10 lakh has been announced for the victims' family.

"Jayaraj and Bennicks were thrashed again after they were taken to the police station, even as some of us were witnessing it from the entrance of the police station," the relatives of the duo said.

According to a Chennai-based news site called The Federal, eyewitnesses claimed that the two were sexually assaulted in police custody. They were sodomised with some hard object.

Both of them were allegedly bleeding profusely from their rectum when they were released from jail.

"Between 7 am and 12 pm on June 20, the father and son had changed at least seven lungies (waistcloth) each as they had become wet due to blood oozing from their rectums," The Federal quoted a friend of Bennick's as saying.

They were taken to a hospital, where the doctor declared them fit allegedly on the insistence of the local inspector.

Although the father and the son were taken to the judicial magistrate, they reportedly refrained from telling the truth because of threats from the police.

Some friends of Bennicks were present at the police station when the duo was taken into custody, and they alleged that for three hours, all they heard was screams of pain from both of them.

"Throughout the night, the duo cried for help and people residing about 500 meters away from the station could hear that," the eyewitness reportedly said.

In protest against the deaths, shops in the district remained closed on Wednesday, June 24.

Also Read: Uttar Pradesh: Unnao Journalist Who Reported On Sand Mafia & Illegal Land Grabbers, Murdered