Tuticorin custodial death: Kin say father-son duo was sexually abused in police custody, outrage in Tamil Nadu

P Jayaraj and his son J Fenix were picked by the Tuticorin police for keeping their mobile accessories shop open during the lockdown. Now, media reports have suggested that the duo was brutally sexually assaulted in police custody.

hile the world outrages over the death of George Floyd due to police brutality, back home the death of a father-son duo allegedly in police custody in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin district has caused a furore in the state.

Now, media reports have suggested that the duo was brutally sexually assaulted in police custody.

59-year-old P Jayaraj and his 31-year-old son J Fenix were picked up for questioning by the Sathankulam police for keeping their mobile accessories shop open during the lockdown on June 19.

They were allegedly thrashed by the police while in custody, leading to their deaths.

While Fenix fell ill and died at the Kovilpatti General Hospital on June 22, his father died on the morning of June 23.

A Chennai-based news site The Federal has quoted eyewitnesses as saying that Jayaraj and his son Fenix were allegedly sodomised in police custody.

Quoting friends and family, The Federal reported that when the father-son duo was released from jail, they were found profusely bleeding from their rectum.

“Between 7 am and 12 pm on June 20, the father and son had changed at least seven lungies (waistcloth) each as they had become wet due to blood oozing from their rectums,” The Federal quoted a friend of Fenix as saying.

The friend also said that the father-son duo came out of prison in a dishevelled state with torn and bloodied clothes.

He added that they complained of severe rectum pain and kept bleeding from their rectum.

They were taken to a hospital after being released from prison where the doctor allegedly declared the duo fit on the insistence of the local inspector.

Fenix and his father were then taken to the judicial magistrate but reportedly could not tell the truth of their ordeal due to repeated threats from the police.

Friends of Fenix, who were present in the police station when the police rounded them up, told the news outlet that for three hours, they heard only the screams and cries of Jayaraj and Fenix.

“Throughout the night, the duo cried for help and people residing about 500 meters away from the station could hear that,” the eyewitness reportedly said.

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TUTICORIN ENRAGED OVER CUSTODIAL DEATHS

The custodial deaths have sparked outrage in Tuticorin.

Shops in the district remained closed on Wednesday to protest the alleged custodial death of the two traders in Sathankulam police station.

MADRAS HC ORDERS PROBE

Now, the Madras High Court has sought a report on the matter.

The Madurai bench of the High Court directed the police to submit a report on July 26 over the death of the duo.

Fenix was bleeding when he was brought to the prison, jail authorities said.

Tuticorin Collector Sandeep Nanduri said the duo had been earlier arrested and lodged in the Kovilpatti sub-jail.

“There were complaints that they were killed in police assault..a judicial probe has been ordered,” he said.

TAMIL NADU CM ANNOUNCES RS 10 LAKH COMPENSATION

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami, on Wednesday, assured legal action as per the orders of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court and action based on the magisterial probe into the custodial death of the father-son duo in the Tuticorin district.

He also announced Rs 10 lakh solatium each to their families and government jobs to a family member of each deceased.

The Chief Minister said the two policemen alleged to be responsible for the deaths had been suspended and the inspector of Sathankulam been kept under compulsory waiting.

FAMILY DEMANDS MURDER PROBE AGAINST COPS

Meanwhile, the family of the deceased demanded that a murder case be registered against two sub-inspectors, since transferred, alleging they were responsible for the death of their father and brother.

They said they had lost both the male members of their family.

The relatives said they would not accept the bodies till their demand was heeded to, even as the post mortem was held at the Tirunelveli Government Hospital.

Various political parties including the DMK have also demanded action against those responsible for the duo’s death.