Tamil Nadu: death penalty for police officers who tortured two Christian Dalits to death

The case of Jeyaraj and his son Benniks – killed in 2020 during the Covid emergency over a (false) breach of the lockdown – has become a symbol of the arbitrary violence suffered by people in police custody in India. Fr Devasagaya told AsiaNews: “We are opposed to the death penalty, but it is important that a court has found the officers guilty. Now guidelines are needed to protect the accused.”

Mumbai (AsiaNews) – In the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, nine police officers have been sentenced to death for the in-custody deaths of P. Jeyaraj and his son J. Benniks, two Dalit Christians who were victims of brutal violence whilst in police custody in June 2020. The verdict, handed down yesterday by the Madurai court after years of waiting, marks a turning point in a case that had deeply shocked the Indian public, sparking widespread protests against the violence occurring in the country’s police stations, particularly against the most socially marginalised communities.

According to the court’s findings, Jeyaraj, 58, and Benniks, 31, were arrested on 19 June 2020 on charges of violating the COVID-19 lockdown regulations. Specifically, Jeyaraj was reportedly arrested for keeping his shop open beyond the permitted hours. However, investigations showed that the shop’s trading hours were within the permitted limits, highlighting that the charges were entirely unfounded.

Once taken to Sathankulam police station, the two men were subjected to prolonged torture for over seven hours. Testimony gathered during the trial described extremely severe violence, which caused fatal injuries. Among the most shocking details that emerged was the victims being forced to clean their own blood from the station floor in an attempt to erase evidence of the violence.

Benniks died on 22 June 2020, followed by his father the next day, at the government hospital in Kovilpatti. Their deaths brought to light a system of abuse and cover-ups within the police force, prompting the judicial authorities to intervene decisively.

The court described the case as a clear example of violence in custody, recognising the direct responsibility of the officers involved. Inspector S. Sridhar was identified as the main instigator of the assaults, whilst the other officers actively participated in both the violence and the subsequent attempt to cover it up. The charges brought include murder, grievous bodily harm, tampering with evidence and filing false reports.

P. Z. Devasagaya, former national secretary of the Office for Scheduled Castes/Backward Classes of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, told AsiaNews: “Although the judges stated that this is a ‘very rare’ case, deaths in custody continue to occur and, as they take place in police stations, the culprits find ways to evade justice. “As a Catholic, I am opposed to the death penalty on principle. However, I welcome the fact that the verdict has identified the guilty parties, even if they are among those who are supposed to uphold law and order.”

“The deaths of these two people,” adds Fr Devasagaya, “have brought to light an inhumane and brutal way of acting on the part of the police. We hope that this criminal prosecution, initiated ex officio by the court, will put an end to such practices in the future. Many Dalits have been victims of violence in custody in the past, but few people stand up for them. It is hoped that this verdict will lead to changes within the police department, with policies and guidelines on how to treat those accused.”