Madurai: Nearly six years after a shocking custodial death case, a court in Madurai has sentenced nine policemen to death. The case is about the torture and killing of a father and son inside the Sathankulam Police Station in June 2020.
The incident happened during the COVID-19 lockdown in India. On the evening of June 19, 2020, P Jeyaraj and his son J Beniks kept their small mobile accessories shop open beyond the allowed time in Sathankulam.
What started as a simple lockdown violation soon turned serious. Police took the father and son into custody. Later, it was reported that they were badly tortured while in the police station.
Both Jeyaraj and Beniks died after being taken into custody, which caused shock and anger across the state and the country. Many people demanded justice and strict action against those responsible.
After a long investigation and court process, the Madurai court found nine policemen guilty of the crime and gave them the death sentence. The judgment is seen as a major step towards justice in one of the most disturbing custodial death cases in India.