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Death by Design: Madurai Court Hands Capital Punishment to 9 Cops in Sathankulam Horror
Madurai, – In a landmark ruling that underscores zero tolerance for custodial atrocities, the sentenced nine police personnel to death on Monday for the brutal murders of father-son duo Jayaraj (58) and Bennix (31) in Sathankulam. Judge G. Muthukumaran, invoking (), held the accused guilty of a "" crime after a grueling five-year trial involving over 50 witnesses, forensic DNA matches, and CCTV footage.
From Lockdown Check to Locked Gates of Hell
The nightmare unfolded on , amid COVID-19 curbs in Thoothukudi's Sathankulam. Father-son duo Jayaraj and Bennix ran a mobile repair shop. On evening around 7:30 PM, police, led by Inspector S. Sridhar (A1), SI Balakrishnan (A2), and constable Muthuraja (A6), picked up Jayaraj following a minor dispute over lockdown timings the previous day. Bennix followed on his bike to inquire about his father's detention.
Testimonies from PW-44 (Bennix's shop neighbor) and PW-26 (Sridhar's driver) confirm Jayaraj was peacefully taken into a Tata Sumo jeep at Vandimarichiyamman Temple near Kamarajar statue. CCTV from King Electricals (MO-23, corroborated by PW-49 Prabhu with ) shows no resistance or scuffle—Jayaraj boards calmly, wearing white shirt and vest, unscathed.
Inside Sathankulam station, horror ensued. Eyewitness PW-47 Revathy (head constable) described doors bolted shut, Thomas Francis (A8) guarding entry. PW-44 Pyoola Selvakumar saw Balakrishnan beating Jayaraj with a lathi for "daring to question police." Bennix intervened, leading to a frenzy. Revathy's statement (Exh. AA-150) details graphic torture: victims stripped to underwear, bent over tables, limbs held by Murugan (A4), Samadurai (A5), Veilmuthu (A9), Chelladurai (A7), Muthuraja, held while Balakrishnan (A2) and Raguganesh (A3) thrashed buttocks relentlessly.
"Listen to the screams," Sridhar barked repeatedly, inciting rounds of beatings. "New training," Murugan quipped (PW-9 Mani Maaran).
"Even if you die, I'll handle the case,"
Balakrishnan taunted (PW-44). Blood smeared walls, floors; victims begged mercy, but assaults continued intermittently till dawn.
Forensic bombshell: DNA from lathis (MO-21, MO-22), station walls (18 spots), seized clothes (MO-2 to MO-20) matched Jayaraj/Bennix blood (FSL reports AA-244 to AA-266). Butchered buttocks peeled like "skin torn off," 18+ injuries each per post-mortem (AA-86, AA-87). MIMB panel (PW-48) confirmed:
"Multiple blunt injuries caused hemorrhagic shock complications leading to death."
Prosecution's Ironclad Case: Torture to Tomb
(PW-52 Vijayakumar Sukla) built an unassailable chain: 52 PWs, 271 exhibits. Key: PW-47/44's graphic accounts, corroborated by PW-20 Ravichandran (CCTNS operator hearing thuds), PW-26 driver (saw lathi assaults). PW-50 Bharathidasan (judicial inquiry) documented blood trails, seized lathis. Jayaraj/Bennix's clothes from station dump (ID'd by PW-3 Selvarani) bloodied, DNA-linked.
Fake FIR (CC 312/2020) to cover tracks: PW-44/47 confirm fabricated assault narrative. Station CCTV wiped (PW-47), but external footage (MO-23/24) nails timeline—no scuffle pre-custody.
Defence crumbled: Alibis (DW-1 Sridhar) debunked by duty rosters, CDRs placing all at station. Fabricated logs (AA-101) exposed.
Defence's Desperate Denials Fall Flat
Accused claimed routine patrol (DW-1), fabricated witness statements (DW-2 to DW-7 alibis unconvincing—no third-party corroboration). Diaries (Exh-AA-104 to -106) inconsistent; CCTV timings adjusted per PW-49. Raguganesh (A3) admitted signing fake FIR, unaware of fabrications—bolstering case.
Brutality Meets Justice: Court's Verdict
Judge Muthukumaran:
"Jayaraj and Bennix endured unimaginable torture—stripped, beaten intermittently over hours, skin peeled from buttocks, blood smeared walls. Injuries sufficient in ordinary course to cause death; police knew consequences yet persisted."
Ruled "
," rejecting mitigations (age, family, no priors). Death for all nine under
302 r/w 34 (two counts), plus fines totaling ₹1 crore to Selvarani (PW-3).
Concurrent sentences for (A1,A3,A4,A6); for A1,A8. Appeals to .
Echoes of Justice: Beyond Sathankulam
This verdict aligns with SC precedents (
,
)—custodial deaths demand exemplary punishment to deter "rarest rare" barbarity. As in
,
"custodial torture shames civilized society."
Other sources note Revathy/Pyoola's pivotal testimonies sealed fates; total fine ₹1 crore compensates Selvarani.
A stern warning:
"Police brutality isn't 'excess'—it's murder. No mercy for those betraying trust."
Impacts TN policing amid rising scrutiny post-Sivagangai, George Floyd echoes.
Implications : Sets precedent for DNA-led custodial probes; signals zero tolerance. Families' 6-year wait vindicated, but systemic reforms urgent.
