Thousands of people in Sathakulam, a place in the Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu, took to the streets to pay their respects for Jayaraj and Fenix, the father-son duo who were brutally tortured and killed while in police custody.
Jayaraj ( 59 Years Old) and his son Fenix Emmanuel (31 Years Old) ran a mobile shop in Tuticorin. On June 19, around 8:15 pm Jayaraj was pulled up by the Sathankulam police officials who were on patrol. They upbraided him for exceeding the curfew by 15 minutes. On Saturday, Jayaraj was taken in by the police and soon after his son Fenix was arrested too when he went to enquire about his father’s arrest.
The two of them were booked under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 353 (use of force to deter public servant from duty) 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), and 506(2) (Punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
In custody, they were allegedly tortured. They were later released and taken to a hospital where a doctor declared them fit despite eyewitnesses reporting that they beaten up and still bleeding.
The Sathankulam police then approached magistrate B Saravanan for the remand of Jayaraj and Fenix. The magistrate allegedly gave the remand order without physically seeing the father-son duo, which is required to ascertain if detainees are injured.
Lawyer Details Horror Of Police Torture
Fenix’s lawyer who was there in the station when the police officials hit the father-son duo had a horrifying tale to share.
Advocate S Manimaran, an eyewitness to the brutality said, “We were standing out and we were seeing the whole incident from outside through a glass gate. Fenix and his father were beaten. In the morning there was blood all over the place where they were sitting.”
He added that Fenix was beaten so brutally, his flesh was ripped off.
He said, “I gave them four clothes to change. We had laid down a blanket in the seat of the car when we went to pick them up, Fenix had lost a lot of flesh on his back. He was a well-built man. The car driver was in tears seeing their state. The spot where Fenix sat was covered with blood, the place where Jayaraj was sitting was also all blood. The blankets are still with us. They were beaten to death.”
Other eyewitnesses have also claimed that Jayaraj and Fenix were bleeding from their rectum and were allegedly sodomised while in prison.
Jayaraj and his son were later produced before the magistrate and the duo was sent to Kovilpatti sub-jail. That evening, both the father and son were taken to the Kovilpatti government hospital. Fenix died on Monday evening and the following morning Jayaraj succumbed to respiratory illness.
Protests Break Out Over Custodial Deaths
Ever since the news of the deaths first broke, the district of Tuticorin has seen widespread turmoil and protests have broken out in several parts of Tamil Nadu. Across the state several trader union bodies, political outfits, activists, have staged protests against the death of the duo. In Tuticorin, traders downed shutters, protests were held throughout the week.
Celebrities, too, have taken to social media demanding that action be taken against those involved in the death of the duo. Jayaraj’s wife Selvarani has lodged a complaint and has alleged police brutality as the cause of death of her husband and son.
Famous Tamil radio jockey RJ Suchitra, who made a video on the brutalities endured by the father-son duo also claimed that they were beaten so badly their knee caps were broken and that they were sexually abused and left bleeding in the jail. Her video went viral and has now led to momentum on social media with #JusticeForJayarajAndFenix trending on Twitter.
On social media, many have been drawing a parallel between the death of the duo with the death of African-American George Floyd in the US and are demanding justice. People have been demanding that murder charges be filed against those involved in the tragic death of the two people.
Madras High Court Orders Probe
When the relatives of the deceased moved the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court, it ordered video recording of the post-mortem, even as it took up the case on its own Wednesday.
IG South Zone Shanmuga Rajeswaran and Tuticorin district police chief Arun Balagopal appeared before the court in the virtual hearing on Wednesday. The bench of Justices PN Prakash and B Pugalendi directed the Tuticorin Superintendent of Police to submit a status report, post-mortem video, among others and posted the case for further hearing today.
On Friday, it said that people being attacked by police is another disease like Corona. The court has assured that justice will be given and that nobody should underestimate the court and its efforts.
The court also has instructed that the CCTV visuals of Kovilpatti jail, the register and documents should be kept safe for the court’s future use. A judicial magistrate is also conducting an inquest.
Opposition Questions AIADMK Government
Meanwhile, opposition parties have also raked the issue. DMK Thoothukudi MP and senior leader Kanimozhi visited the family on Thursday night and participated in the last rites of the father and son duo.
Kanimozhi after meeting the family said, “Two people have been killed. The people responsible for this should be punished just like how a person is punished for murder. Similar punishment should be given be it police officials or whoever it is. Money alone won’t equal the lives lost. They should get justice. A proper investigation must be conducted and the truth should be brought out.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also condoled the deaths and said it is a tragedy when protectors turn into oppressors.
Tamil Nadu CM E Palaniswami talking about the incident earlier this week said, “Jayaraj and Fenix were arrested by the police and then they died in the hospital. The Kovilpati magistrate has been made in-charge to oversee the post-mortem of Jayaraj and Fenix. Madurai bench of the Madras high court is hearing the case as well. As per the courts order the state will act.”
Meanwhile, the state government announced 10 lakh compensation each and has promised government job for a family member according to their eligibility. The opposition party DMK has announced Rs 25 lakh monitory assistance for the family.
