A Madurai court in Tamil Nadu on April 6, 2026, sentenced nine policemen to death for the custodial torture and murder of trader P. Jayaraj (58) and his son J. Benicks (31) in Sattankulam, Thoothukudi district, in June 2020. The father and son were detained at Sattankulam police station for allegedly violating COVID-19 lockdown norms by keeping their mobile phone sales and service showroom open. The case shook civil society and became a political issue.
In June 2020, P. Jayaraj was picked up outside his shop in Sattankulam, Thoothukudi district, for allegedly violating COVID curfew rules. His son J. Benicks went to the Sattankulam police station the next day to inquire about his father and was also detained. Both were severely tortured and died from their injuries, with the CBI later finding the curfew violation charge to be false.
On April 6, 2026, a Madurai trial court convicted nine policemen of custodial torture and murder in the case, awarding them the death penalty. The incident had previously shaken civil society and sparked political debates. Tamil Nadu records the highest custodial deaths among southern states, with 490 between 2016 and 2022.
The verdict is seen as a test for police accountability and India's criminal justice system. It highlights failures in safeguards like those under Article 22 and the D K Basu guidelines, though families hope for closure.
