Nine policemen sentenced to death in India over Covid custody killings
A Madurai court in Tamil Nadu has sentenced nine police officers to death for the custodial killing of a father‑and‑son duo during the 2020 Covid‑19 lockdown.
What happened
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P. Jayaraj (58) and his son J. Bennix/Benniks (around 31), who ran a mobile‑phone accessories shop in Sathankulam (Thoothukudi district), were arrested on June 19, 2020, for allegedly operating beyond the permitted hours under lockdown rules.
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They were brutally beaten in police custody at the Sathankulam station, sustaining fatal injuries; both died in hospital a few days later.
The verdict
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A Madurai Additional District and Sessions Court convicted all nine accused officers of murder on March 23, 2026, and on April 6, 2026, sentenced them to death.
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The judge called the case a “rare” instance where officers, instead of protecting citizens, brutally assaulted defenceless persons with intent to kill, and ordered a total fine/compensation of about ₹1.4 crore to the victims’ family.
Legal and political context
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Ten police personnel were initially charged, but one (Special Sub‑Inspector Paldurai) died of Covid‑19 in 2020; the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) prosecuted the remaining nine.
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The case had sparked statewide protests in Tamil Nadu and nationwide debate over custodial violence and police accountability, with opposition leaders and public figures demanding strict punishment.
