#JusticeForJayarajAndFenix: All You Need To Know About Brutal Killing Of Father-Son In Police Custody
The custodial deaths of a father and son have sparked protests across parts of Tamil Nadu with many taking to the streets to demand justice. The police reportedly arrested them on charges of lockdown violation and tortured them to death in custody.
Jayaraj and Fenix, ordinary middle-class individuals, were tortured and allegedly murdered in police custody for just one violation - they broke the lockdown curfew and refused the shut their mobile accessories shop in Sathakulam, Thoothukudi district, when the police approached them.
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Heartbreaking and gory details of their killings in police custody surfaced on social media, sparking widespread anger all across the country.
#JusticeForJayarajAndFenix has been the topic of debate on social media. P Jayaraj (59) and his son Fenix (31), (mistakenly being called "Fenix"), were picked up by the police on June 19. Here's what followed:
When cops on lockdown patrol in Sathakulam caught Jayraj breaking lockdown rules, they scolded him for a mere 15-minute delay in pulling the shutters down. According to India Today, Jayaraj was taken in by the police and soon after his son Fenix was arrested too when he went to inquire about his father¡¯s arrest.
The two of them were booked under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 353 (use of force to deter public servant from duty) 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), and 506(2) (Punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
The horror that ensued in custody
They were allegedly subjected to sexual torture and physical abuse in Police custody. Chennai-based news site The Federal quoted eyewitnesses as saying that Jayaraj and his son Bennicks were allegedly sodomised in police custody. The report stated that when the father-son duo was released from jail, they were found profusely bleeding from their rectum.
¡°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 Bennicks as saying.
India Today quoted Advocate S Manimaran, an eyewitness to the brutality as saying," We were standing out and we were seeing the whole incident from outside through a glass gate. Bennicks and his father were beaten. In the morning there was blood all over the place where they were sitting."
He said, ¡°I gave them four clothes to change. We had laid down a blanket in the seat of the car when we went to pick them up, Fenix had lost a lot of flesh on his back. He was a well-built man. The car driver was in tears seeing their state. The spot where Fenix sat was covered with blood, the place where Jayaraj was sitting was also all blood. The blankets are still with us. They were beaten to death.¡±
The family of the two deceased refused to accept their bodies and demanded an offence of murder be registered against two police sub-inspectors
Protests over the custodial deaths
Various political parties including the DMK wanted action against those responsible for the duo's death.
??????????? ?????????????? ?????? ????? ????????? ??????????, ????????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ??????? ?????????????? ???? ?????? ???? ????????? ?????????? 2/2
¡ª Kanimozhi (???????) (@KanimozhiDMK) June 24, 2020
Party leader and Tuticorin Lok Sabha MP, Kanimozhi, dubbed the incident as "violence" committed by the police and wanted action against two sub-inspectors for their alleged roles in the incident.
In a series of tweets, she said their mere transfer to the Armed Reserve was not a punishment, and added she had taken up with the District Collector the need to ensure stringent action against them.
DMK MP from Thoothukudi, Kanimozhi has written to the NHRC seeking an inquiry against police personnel and others responsible in the matter relating to the alleged custodial deaths of a father and son, Jayaraj and Benicks, belonging to #Sattankulam. https://t.co/PdhGYWSj3r
¡ª The Hindu (@the_hindu) June 27, 2020
Also Read: FBI Asks For Evidence Of Violent 'Individuals', People Send Videos Of Police Brutality Instead
Many took to social media to speak up against the custodial killing and demanded strict action against the perpetrators of the brutality under the hashtag #JusticeForJayrajAnFenix.
Prominent members of the Kollywood circle such as director Karthik Subbaraj and singer Suchitra, have all released videos and posted tweets in the aftermath of the incident demanding urgent and appropriate action be taken against the cops.
#1
#justiceforjeyarajandfenix This is Inhuman. Culprits Should be hanged Immediately. #Sathankulam pic.twitter.com/9t6G2aDvEJ
¡ª Syed mohamed.M (@SyedmohamedM2) June 26, 2020
#2
Why haven't the erring policemen been arrested as yet? Tamil Nadu Police is one of the finest in the country but the rotten apples in its midst need to be removed. #JusticeForJeyarajAndFenix
¡ª Sumanth Raman (@sumanthraman) June 26, 2020
Many even compared the killings to that of George Floyd in the US in May, that sparked worldwide outrage. Here's what people had to say on social media:
#1
#2if Bollywood doesn't speak up about this custodial death, then just know that the support they showed for George Floyd was performative at best and they don't give a shit about humanity. call them out for selectively using their platform.#JusticeForJeyarajAndFenix#ACAB
¡ª AJ ???? // Geminist (@crackanksha) June 26, 2020
#3the term 'police brutality' doesn't even begin to encompass the torture inflicted on those two helpless men.
¡ª maud gone (@fitzzherald) June 26, 2020
please contribute the same energy you've directed towards BLM.
ACAB, regardless of race or country.#JusticeForJeyarajAndFenix
PLEASE CREATE AWARENESS ABOUT THIS ISSUE! #JusticeForJeyarajAndFenix pic.twitter.com/2Pvevc0Sep
¡ª Jaffu?? ? (@jaffx_) June 26, 2020
#4
PLEASE DON'T FORGET THESE CRIMINALS' FACES UNTIL WE GET JUSTICE??#JusticeForJeyarajAndFenix pic.twitter.com/iStaYiZCa4
¡ª Vigneshwaran (@VigneshT_28) June 26, 2020
#5
Black Day . Let This be the very Last Incident of Police Brutality Not just in Tamilnadu but all across the nation ! It is each one of the our Responsibility to Ensure Justice to #Jeyraj and #Fenix ? #JusticeForJeyarajAndFenix pic.twitter.com/Cf53qk03Ws
¡ª Sanam Shetty (@SanamShetty_) June 26, 2020
#6
#JusticeForJeyarajAndFenix
¡ª Aruna (@Aruna_AMMK) June 27, 2020
I think ...
This cartoon will clear our doubt's... pic.twitter.com/KFOrXjYg33
#7
#JusticeForJeyarajAndFenix
¡ª Dusky Tamizhachi (@TamizhRatsaschi) June 27, 2020
It seems the Police rampage just won't stop. One Ganeshamoorthy, a daily wage labourer returns home from the police station,hangs himself to death after alleging brutal police torture in cusotdy. Again from Tuticorin. We have an emergency in Tamil Nadu.
#8
We will raise our voice against the injustice happened to those 2 souls who didn't deserve this kind of end!#JusticeForJeyarajAndFenix https://t.co/yvOPOhDneR
¡ª Harini Chandramouli (@Harini_amulya) June 27, 2020
A petition has also been started to demand justice for the killings and it has 27,320 signatures so far.
Screenshot/Change.org
#9
SIGN THIS PETITION TO SEND THOSE POLICE OFFICERS TO JAIL!
¡ª sandwic kebodohan (@seeraenthen) June 27, 2020
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE NOT IN INDIA, PLEASE SIGN THIS IT NEEDS AS MUCH OF SIGNATURES AS POSSIBLE! #JusticeForJeyarajAndFenix#JusticeForJeyarajAndBennickshttps://t.co/k0p7rfCZlP
#10
Sathakulam incident is horrifying.. it¡¯s totally inhuman .. Really not acceptable.. Justice in delay is injustice #JusticeForJeyarajAndFenix ?? pic.twitter.com/ApqHlGHsPp
¡ª ???????.... ??????? (@murali_cl) June 27, 2020
Reports state that post mortem reports of the two deceased men have been submitted to the Madras High Court. Two sub-inspectors from Sathankulam Police station have been suspended and the station police inspector has been put on the waiting list.
Also Read: 'He Didn't Deserve To Die Over $20' - George Floyd's Brother's Powerful Message To The World
