On 19 June 2020, police in Sathankulam, Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, detained trader P. Jayaraj and his son J. Bennix (also spelt Bennicks) over their shop's lockdown hours. Both died in a Kovilpatti hospital on 22 and 23 June, and their family said they had been tortured at the police station. The deaths set off protests and a statewide traders' shutdown, the Madras High Court acted on its own, and ten policemen were arrested. In April 2026 a Madurai court sentenced nine of them to death.
Key takeaways
- P. Jayaraj and his son J. Bennix were picked up by Sathankulam police on 19 June 2020 and died at Kovilpatti Government Hospital on 22 and 23 June.
- The family refused the bodies until action was taken, and traders across Tamil Nadu shut shops on 24 June 2020.
- Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami's first statement cited breathing problems and illness; a magistrate's report, Head Constable Revathi's statement and the CBI probe pointed to torture.
- A Madurai court convicted nine former police personnel of murder on 23 March 2026 and sentenced all nine to death on 6 April 2026. Their appeals are before the Madras High Court.
How it started
Jayaraj, 58, and Bennix, 31, ran shops near the Kamarajar statue in Sathankulam, a town about 50 km south of Thoothukudi Al Jazeera. Most reports give Jayaraj's age as 58; some say 59 or 61 Al Jazeera Deccan Herald.
The police FIR said head constable S. Murugan and constable Muthuraj found the shop open after curfew around 9.15 pm on 19 June, that the two abused them, threatened to kill them and "rolled on the ground", and so suffered "internal injuries" The News Minute. CCTV footage from near the shop later contradicted this account Deccan Herald, and in 2026 the trial court found the case registered against the two was false False The South First.
According to the CBI, Jayaraj was picked up near the statue at about 7.30 pm. Bennix went to the station, saw his father being beaten and objected, after which he too was confined and both were beaten through the night The News Minute. On 20 June they were declared fit, remanded by a magistrate and sent to the Kovilpatti sub-jail, about 100 km away The News Minute.
The deaths and the family's refusal
On the night of 22 June Bennix complained of chest pain and died at Kovilpatti Government Hospital. Jayaraj died there at about 4.30 am on 23 June The News Minute. A few reports reversed the order National Herald, but most, and the trial court record as reported, give Bennix as dying first LiveLaw.
Jayaraj's daughter Percy (also spelt Persis) said the family would not collect the bodies until action was taken over what she called a "double murder". "Just because they are in the department, can the police commit murder?" she said, adding that suspensions would not be enough The News Minute.
The family accepted the bodies on 25 June, after the High Court ordered a postmortem by three doctors with video recording. They were buried at Sathankulam cemetery amid tension, after being kept outside their shops for people to pay respects The News Minute DT Next.
Protests and the traders' shutdown
Shopkeepers and residents held a dharna in Sathankulam on 23 June. On 24 June, shops and businesses across the state shut in protest The News Minute. Arun Kumar, state organiser of the Tamil Nadu Traders Association, said "50,000 people have downed their shutters" Claim · Organiser. In Chennai, police arrested 50 of more than 150 protesters at Virugambakkam market for breaking lockdown rules The News Minute.
On 26 June, the Tamil Nadu Chemist and Druggist Association asked pharmacies statewide to close from 7 am to 11 am; many in Chennai's Mylapore did, while some chain stores stayed open Mylapore Times. The outrage drew comparisons with the killing of George Floyd in the United States Al Jazeera.
Political reactions
DMK president M.K. Stalin said Palaniswami, who held the Home portfolio, should take responsibility. Tamil Nadu Congress chief K.S. Alagiri demanded a CBI probe, saying a state police inquiry would not ensure justice Scroll. Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi (DMK) asked the NHRC to inquire and handed the family a Rs 25 lakh cheque. Priyanka Gandhi said police brutality was "unacceptable, cruel and completely unlawful" Scroll.
The ruling AIADMK also announced Rs 25 lakh from party funds The News Minute. An AIADMK leader accused the DMK of "eyeing" seats in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli, and BJP state president L. Murugan said the opposition was politicising the case DT Next. Amnesty International India called on the state to "end impunity for police officers" Al Jazeera, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the deaths had to be fully investigated The News Minute.
The government's position
Government's position In his first statement, reported on 25 June, Palaniswami said the two were taken in for questioning for keeping their shop open during the lockdown, that Bennix "complained of breathing problems" and died around 9 pm on 22 June, and that Jayaraj, "also hospitalised due to an illness", died the next day. He said four officers, including two sub-inspectors, had been suspended, announced Rs 10 lakh for the family and said a magistrate's inquest was under way Scroll. Al Jazeera later reported the state's compensation as Rs 20 lakh Al Jazeera.
Thoothukudi SP Arun Balagopalan had said both men had other health issues. Information Minister Kadambur Raju said they were not "lock-up deaths" because they died two days after being sent to the sub-jail. Kanimozhi replied: "All deaths under custody of police or judiciary are custodial deaths" The News Minute.
On 28 June Palaniswami said the case would go to the CBI, subject to the High Court's approval Scroll. The government transferred it on the night of 29 June, citing the DGP's request for "a free and fair investigation" Deccan Herald. After Palaniswami wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah, the Centre notified the CBI takeover on 7 July PTI via The Tribune, and the CBI registered two cases The News Minute.
The High Court, the magistrate and the head constable
On 24 June a Madurai Bench of Justices P.N. Prakash and B. Pugalendhi took suo motu cognisance, ordered the videographed postmortem and sought a police report. It then told everyone to cooperate with an inquiry by the Kovilpatti judicial magistrate The News Minute, M.S. Bharathidasan Deccan Herald.
Bharathidasan spent over 15 hours at the station on 28 June. He reported that the CCTV hard disk had 1 TB of space but was set to erase data daily, and that footage from 19 June was missing. He said officers ignored him, a constable said "You can't do anything", and another escaped over the compound wall rather than hand over his lathi The Quint. The court began contempt proceedings against ADSP D. Kumar, DSP C. Prathapan and constable Maharajan Deccan Herald.
The magistrate's key witness was Head Constable Revathi (also spelt Revathy). She told him the two were "beaten up the entire night" with lathis and that blood on the lathis and a table should be seized before it was erased. She signed her statement only after being assured of safety PTI via The Tribune. On 30 June the court said there was prima facie evidence for murder charges and, fearing loss of evidence before the CBI arrived, handed the case to the CB-CID under DSP Anil Kumar. It ordered protection for Revathi and her family Scroll PTI via The Tribune.
Timeline
Jayaraj picked up
Bennix follows him to the station; both are beaten through the night, the CBI later says The News Minute.
Shutdown and suo motu case
Shops close across the state; the High Court takes up the case The News Minute.
Magistrate's inquiry; CB-CID steps in
The magistrate reports erased CCTV and Revathi's statement; the court hands the probe to the CB-CID Scroll.
First arrests
SI Raghu Ganesh is arrested, then Inspector Sridhar, SI Balakrishnan, head constable Murugan and constable Muthuraj National Herald.
Chargesheet
The CBI charges nine policemen with murder; a supplementary chargesheet follows on 12 August 2022 Newslaundry / TNM.
Conviction and sentence
All nine are convicted of murder, then sentenced to death LiveLaw.
Arrests and the CBI chargesheet
The CB-CID changed the FIR from suspicious death to murder and arrested five officers on 1 and 2 July National Herald. It then arrested five more for abetment: Special Sub-Inspector Pauldurai, head constable Samadurai and constables Veilumuthu, Chelladurai and Thomas Francis The News Minute. Pauldurai died of Covid-19 in August 2020 The South First.
The CBI chargesheet said the two were stripped, made to bend over a wooden table "in underwear only" and beaten on the buttocks and back, that Sridhar prodded staff to start "fresh rounds of beatings", and that the victims were made to wipe up their own blood. DNA from the lockup walls, toilet, SHO's room and the lathis matched the victims The News Minute. The CBI told the High Court the postmortems found 13 injuries on Bennix and 17 on Jayaraj DT Next. It said a "fit for remand" certificate was obtained despite the injuries Newslaundry / TNM.
Both accounts
Family's and protesters' account
The family said the two were healthy, were beaten at the station and did not die of illness. They alleged injuries to the rectum Claim · Family The News Minute. A lawyer for the two said they bled so heavily that they changed six lungis The News Minute. The beatings were later Documented by DNA evidence and found proved by the trial court. In June 2020 The Quint reported there was no evidence then for claims that lathis were used to sexually assault them The Quint.
Police and government account
Government's position The FIR said the two violated curfew, threatened officers and hurt themselves rolling on the ground. The SP said they had other health issues, and the Chief Minister's first statement attributed the deaths to breathing problems and illness The News Minute. At trial and in bail hearings, defence lawyers argued the men died of heart ailments and that Raghu Ganesh was not at the station The Leaflet. The trial court rejected these arguments LiveLaw.
Trial, bail and verdict
The trial was due to begin on 11 November 2020 Deccan Herald. The accused remained in jail as undertrials The South First. On 7 September 2021 the Supreme Court refused bail to Sridhar and Raghu Ganesh; Indira Jaising, for Jayaraj's widow, argued that two women constables who testified against the accused were yet to be examined and the trial could "collapse" if bail was granted The Leaflet. Earlier, a bench had told Ganesh's counsel, "This is a case where you should be in jail for some time" Deccan Herald.
The trial dragged. In June 2025 the family said the court had had no full-time judge since November 2024, and their lawyer said nine defence lawyers cross-examined each witness The South First.
On 23 March 2026, First Additional District and Sessions Judge G. Muthukumaran convicted all nine under IPC Sections 342, 195, 211, 218 and 302 read with 109 and 34. On 6 April he sentenced all nine to death and ordered Rs 1.40 crore compensation LiveLaw. He called it a "rarest of rare" case and said life imprisonment would not deter The South First. Both the state and Union governments sought stringent punishment The South First; the CBI cited "three direct eyewitnesses" Maktoob.
Father and son stripped, ruthlessly assaulted… Heart shudders reading about it.
Judge G. Muthukumaran, sentencing order, 6 April 2026, as quoted by Maktoob
Outcome
- Convicted: Inspector S. Sridhar, SIs P. Raghu Ganesh and K. Balakrishnan, head constables S. Murugan and A. Samadurai, constables M. Muthuraj, S. Chelladurai, X. Thomas Francis and S. Veilumuthu LiveLaw.
- Sentence: Death for all nine, with fines; Rs 1.40 crore compensation in total The South First.
- Contempt: Proceedings started against ADSP D. Kumar, DSP C. Prathapan and constable Maharajan for obstructing the magistrate Deccan Herald.
- Administration: Thoothukudi SP replaced; all Sathankulam station staff transferred PTI via The Tribune.
- Inquiries: The NHRC and the State Human Rights Commission sought reports The News Minute Deccan Herald.
Where things stand
A death sentence must be confirmed by the High Court before it can be carried out LiveLaw. On 30 April 2026 a Madurai Bench of Justices N. Anand Venkatesh and K.K. Ramakrishnan gave the nine time to file appeals and listed the case for 4 June News Today UNI. No later ruling was found in reporting up to October 2026.
The family moved out of Sathankulam after the deaths The South First. Henri Tiphagne of People's Watch, who opposes the death penalty, said the verdict could deter custodial torture. Outlook, citing data presented in Parliament, reported 490 deaths in police or judicial custody in Tamil Nadu from 2016-17 to 2021-22 Outlook.
Questions people ask
What happened to Jayaraj and Bennix in Sathankulam?
Police detained the father and son on 19 June 2020 over their shop's lockdown hours. The CBI found they were beaten through the night at Sathankulam police station. They were remanded to Kovilpatti sub-jail and died in hospital on 22 and 23 June.
Who was the woman constable who testified?
Head Constable Revathi of Sathankulam station told the judicial magistrate the two were beaten all night and that blood on lathis and a table should be preserved. The High Court ordered protection for her and her family.
What did CM Palaniswami say about the deaths?
His first statement said Bennix complained of breathing problems and Jayaraj had been hospitalised for an illness. He announced suspensions and Rs 10 lakh for the family, and on 28 June said the case would go to the CBI.
Why was the case given to the CBI?
The state transferred it on 29 June 2020 at the DGP's request for a free and fair probe. Until the CBI took over on 7 July, the High Court had the CB-CID investigate so that evidence would not be lost.
What was the Sathankulam verdict?
On 23 March 2026 a Madurai sessions court convicted nine former police personnel of murder and other offences. On 6 April 2026 it sentenced all nine to death and ordered Rs 1.40 crore compensation.
Has the death sentence been carried out?
No. The sentence must be confirmed by the Madras High Court, where the nine convicts were given time in April 2026 to file appeals. No ruling had been reported by October 2026.
Sources
- The News Minute: Sathankulam father-son death: Family refuses to take bodies in protest, 24 Jun 2020
- Scroll: Father, son die after alleged police torture for violating lockdown; HC seeks report, 25 Jun 2020
- The News Minute: Justice for Jayaraj and Bennix: Timeline of two shocking custodial deaths, 26 Jun 2020
- The News Minute: DMK to give Rs 25 lakh as relief to Jayaraj-Bennix's family, 26 Jun 2020
- DT Next: Relatives accept dad-son duo bodies, 26 Jun 2020
- LiveLaw (opinion by an advocate): Rarest of rare: Nine policemen sentenced to death, 7 Apr 2026
- Mylapore Times: Pharmacies in Mylapore shut down to protest against the death of two Thoothukudi shopkeepers, 26 Jun 2020
- Al Jazeera: Thoothukudi: Outrage after father, son die in police custody, 27 Jun 2020
- The News Minute: TN Minister says Sathankulam custodial deaths not 'lock-up deaths', 28 Jun 2020
- Scroll: State will hand over case to CBI after High Court's approval, says CM, 28 Jun 2020
- Deccan Herald: Tamil Nadu transfers custodial deaths case to CBI; court summons policemen, 30 Jun 2020
- The Quint: TN Custodial Deaths: Magistrate Report Cites Blood-Stained Lathis, 30 Jun 2020
- Scroll: Madras HC says evidence available to charge policemen with murder, 30 Jun 2020
- PTI via The Tribune: Father-son duo thrashed all night by Sathankulam police personnel, says woman cop, 1 Jul 2020
- Deccan Herald: SI arrested; murder charges slapped against 6, 2 Jul 2020
- National Herald: Sathankulam custody deaths: 5 cops held, FIR altered to murder case, 2 Jul 2020
- Al Jazeera: Indian policemen arrested over custodial deaths of father and son, 2 Jul 2020
- DT Next: CM, OPS to personally console family of Jayaraj, Bennix, 2 Jul 2020
- PTI via The Tribune: Centre has notified CBI taking over Sathankulam case, 7 Jul 2020
- The News Minute: CBI granted custody of 5 accused in Jayaraj-Bennix case, 14 Jul 2020
- DT Next: Father-son brutalised, says CBI opposing cops' bail plea, 25 Aug 2020
- The News Minute: CBI files chargesheet against 9 former police personnel, 26 Sep 2020
- The News Minute: 'Bennix-Jayaraj beaten till blood splashed walls, floors': CBI forensic report to HC, 26 Oct 2020
- Deccan Herald: Trial in father-son duo custodial death to commence on November 11, 3 Nov 2020
- Deccan Herald: SC tells accused cop to remain in jail for some time, 26 May 2021
- The Leaflet: SC throws out bail application of two police officers, 7 Sep 2021
- The South First: For Jayaraj and Beniks' kin, the wait for justice is the punishment, 22 Jun 2025
- Newslaundry (The News Minute): Sathankulam horror: 9 cops convicted, 24 Mar 2026
- LiveLaw: Madurai Court awards death penalty to all nine police officers, 6 Apr 2026
- The South First: Madurai court awards capital punishment to 9 former police personnel, 6 Apr 2026
- Maktoob: 'Heart shudders': Court sentences nine policemen to death, Apr 2026
- Outlook: Death sentence for nine policemen: Satankulam verdict exposes Tamil Nadu's blind spot, Apr 2026
- UNI: Madras HC grants time to 9 cops facing noose to file appeals, 1 May 2026
- News Today: Sathankulam: HC grants time for appeals against death sentence, 2 May 2026