Even As Tamil Nadu Custodial Deaths Spark Mass Outrage, No FIR Filed Against Accused Personnel

The custodial deaths of father-son duo P Jayaraj and J Beniks kicked up a storm on social media as people complained about the brutality of the police during the curfew due to COVID-19. Many have compared it to the recent death of African-American George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer, as per a TNN report.

No action has been taken yet by the state government on those allegedly responsible for the deaths. No FIR has been registered against the the accused police personnel who is believed to have allegedly tortured them as they violating Curfew in Sathankulam, the government doctor who said they were "fit" for custody, the magistrate who remanded them to judicial custody and the jail personnel who let them in them with bleeding wounds.

TOI

Not an isolated incident

Earlier in the month, the Sathankulam police was accused of killing a man who was picked up for questioning. Similarly, the police at Kayalpattinam, which also falls in Tuticorin district, are accused of damaging a curfew violator¡¯s kidneys.

Meanwhile, even 24 hours after the postmortem, the nature of injuries inflicted on Jayaraj and Beniks by the police is yet to be revealed.

ANI

Police hiding something?

The FIR filed by the police claims the injuries were self-inflicted; that the two men rolled on the ground to hurt themselves.

The Madurai bench of the Madras high court, which had taken suo motu note of the custodial deaths and called for a report, has now asked the government to provide yoga and psychological counselling sessions for cops stressed because of the pandemic.

Dailythanti

The state government said it would comply with the court orders, which are awaited.