On April 6, 2026, a special sessions court in Madurai delivered a historic verdict, sentencing nine convicted policemen to death in the Sathankulam custodial deaths case of June 2020. Notably, the court sentenced the inspector, sub-inspector, and head constables for brutally murdering a father and son, calling it a “rarest of rare” case.

Background of the Victims

P. Jayaraj (58) and his son J. Bennix (31) were brutally beaten in custody. Police officers took them into custody on June 19, 2020, for allegedly violating COVID-19 lockdown rules. Subsequently, they died at Kovilpatti Government Hospital, and the investigation revealed that police personnel had tortured them.

Cause of Arrest and Incident

Police arrested them for delaying the closure of their mobile shop in Sathankulam. Furthermore, evidence showed that Inspector S. Shridhar instigated the assault, while other officers actively participated in the violence and attempted to hide evidence.

Court’s Verdict and Observations

The First Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai declared this a “rarest of rare” case and stated that the protectors had turned into perpetrators. As a result, the judge refused leniency and imposed the death penalty. Additionally, the court ordered the accused to pay ₹1.40 crore in compensation to the victims’ mother and warned that authorities would seize and sell their property if they failed to comply.

Charges Against the Accused

Authorities charged the accused with murder, causing grievous hurt, fabricating evidence, and filing false cases.

Findings of the Investigation

Central Bureau of Investigation officials proved the crime using forensic evidence, medical reports, and witness statements. Bloodstains found at the Sathankulam police station and injuries recorded in the postmortem reports served as key evidence.

Response from the Victims’ Family

Percy, a member of the victims’ family, said that the court had delivered justice. He added that the family had trusted the court and fought for a long time so that no other family would have to endure such sorrow, and therefore, expressed hope that such incidents would not happen again.