Madurai Court Convicts Nine Officers in 2020 Custody Deaths

A court in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, convicted nine police officers on Monday of the custodial torture and murder of a father and son in Sathankulam, Thoothukudi district, in June 2020, marking a rare instance of accountability in a case that ignited nationwide protests against police brutality.

The First Additional District and Sessions Court, presided over by Judge G. Muthukumaran, found the officers guilty after a nearly four-year trial. The convictions stem from the deaths of P. Jayaraj, 58, and his son J. Bennix, 31, who ran a mobile accessories shop. On June 19, 2020, amid strict COVID-19 lockdown measures, the duo was detained by Sathankulam police for allegedly keeping their shop open beyond permitted hours. According to the Central Bureau of Investigation, which prosecuted the case, Jayaraj was first taken into custody, prompting Bennix to visit the station to inquire about his father. A confrontation ensued, after which both were subjected to prolonged assault at the station throughout the night.

The court ruled that postmortem reports confirmed the victims' injuries resulted from repeated beatings, rejecting defense claims that the wounds were self-inflicted or caused by...