the big story

A horrific story of rape and torture

The TLDR: A father and son—P. Jayaraj and J. Bennicks—were severely assaulted and tortured by three policemen in a town called Sathankulam near Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. Both later died of their injuries. A closer look at the case reveals a history of police violence—which in turn is inextricably linked to caste politics in Tamil Nadu. (Trigger warning: the details of this case are extremely disturbing.)

What happened here?

There are multiple and confusing accounts of the timeline. But here is the essential gist:

• On June 18, there was some kind of altercation between Jayaraj and the police. It may have occurred outside the son’s mobile phone shop or outside Jayaraj’s timber shop. The police claim that the shop had remained open past night curfew hours.
• The next day, the police arrested Jayaraj and took him to the station. The FIR claims that Jayaraj and his son hurled abuses at them when asked to down their shutters—as it was past closing time.
• Bennicks rushed to the station—where he saw the policemen beat his father. When he tried to intervene, he was also taken into custody. 
• The men were beaten and raped with baton sticks and rods—even as their family and friends stood outside the station. Their screams were heard through the night by everyone in the vicinity. 
• They were not allowed to see or meet the two men until June 20—when the police asked their friends to bring their vehicle to take Bennicks and Jayaraj to the hospital for their medical fitness test.
• The men were bleeding profusely through their rectum: “Between 7 am and 12 pm… the father and son had changed at least seven lungies each as they had become wet due to blood oozing from their rectums.”
• Despite this, the doctors issued fitness certificates and allowed the police to take the two men to the house of the local judicial magistrate—who in turn authorised keeping them in jail.
• Point to note: It is clear that they were tortured again after their visit to the hospital and magistrate.
• By June 22, neither man could pass stools or urine, and their stomachs began to bloat. They were unable to eat.They were then taken to the hospital—where Bennicks died at 8.30 pm that night. His father Jayaraj died the next day at 8 am. 
• Bennicks’ elder sister Persis described the bodies to reporters thus: ‘Munnadiyum pinnadiyum onnume illeh’ (there was nothing left of the front and rear of their bodies).

How can they do this… in front of everyone?

Because the cops involved have done it before—and gotten away with it. At the heart of this killing are three policemen: Inspector Sridhar and Sub Inspectors Balakrishnan and Raghuganesh. They all have a long history of custodial violence. The two most recent cases are as follows: 

• Mahendran was a construction worker, and the younger brother of Durairaj, who is a suspect in a murder case. He was picked up for no other reason and brutally beaten at the police station. He died of his injuries in police custody, according to Indian Express: “[T]he body was handed over to his mother without post-mortem. The family was threatened that Durai also will be killed in the same manner if they speak out.” Other reports say he died in hospital after his release.
• Rajasingh was also picked up with seven others in connection with another murder case. He was “continuously beaten up on various parts of the body, particularly the buttocks, with lathis”—and yet remanded to custody by the same magistrate despite “visible injuries, including deep open wounds in his private parts.”

So this is an Indian ‘George Floyd’ case?

Yes, but since it is India, there are caste-related issues. Thoothukudi is the battleground for an ongoing conflict between the Konars (or Yadhavas) and Nadars—both of whom are designated as Backward Classes. There are both Hindu and Christian Nadars, and they have the upper hand in the region. 

But that changed in Sathankulam with the arrival of one of the Sub Inspectors: Raghuganesh, who is Konar. According to local panchayat leaders, “[H]e is alleged to have foisted false cases on members from other castes and beaten them in the police station. He is also said to have imposed a ‘caste tax’ on non-Konar members of the villages, a move opposed by the majority of the people.”

Point to note: Mahendran, Jayaraj and Bennicks all belong to the Nadar caste. 

So what happens now?

Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami has transferred the case to the CBI. But only after he tried to dismiss the deaths: “The father died due to respiratory illness and the son died of heart attack.” Four police officers have been suspended—including the now infamous trio. And he’s announced a Rs 10 lakh compensation to the victims’ family. Great outrage has been expressed by politicians—both state and national.

The bottomline: 1,731 people died in custody in India during 2019—that’s about five a day. Torture methods included: hammering nails into the body, electric shock, pouring petrol and chili powder on private parts, branding with hot iron rod, urinating in mouth etc. This NGO report has a lot more. FYI: The case has already receded from national headlines.

The reading list

• The News Minute has a detailed timeline. 
• The Federal and Quint have eyewitness accounts. 
• Indian Express has the other two cases of custodial torture. 
• The Lede offers the context of caste politics. 
• BBC News offers the history of police brutality in India. 
• Tamil director Hari expressed regret for making blockbuster films that glorify police violence—including Singam. Related read: Quint on the violent cop in Bollywood movies.
• We avoided offering graphic details of the abuse, but this clip lays out the full extent of the torture.