RismadarVoice Reporters, April 7, 2026
An Indian court has sentenced nine policemen to death for the torture and killing of a father and son in a case that sparked nationwide outrage over police brutality.
The Additional District Court in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, delivered the judgment on Monday, finding the officers guilty in the custodial deaths of Jeyaraj, 59, and his son Benniks, 31. The verdict was confirmed in a statement released on Tuesday by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
According to the CBI, the court described the case as one of the “rarest of the rare,” citing a clear abuse of authority by the convicted officers.
The victims, who operated a mobile phone shop, were arrested in June 2020 for allegedly violating COVID-19 lockdown regulations by keeping their shop open beyond permitted hours. They were taken into police custody, where they were reportedly subjected to severe torture, leading to their deaths.
The incident triggered widespread condemnation across India, with calls for justice and reforms to address police misconduct. In response to public pressure, the Tamil Nadu state government transferred the investigation to the CBI.
The federal agency filed charges against the nine policemen within 90 days, and, during the trial, presented testimony from over 50 witnesses. Prosecutors argued that the killings had “shaken public conscience,” warranting the maximum penalty.
All nine officers were convicted of murder and destruction of evidence.
While India retains the death penalty, executions are rarely carried out. The last executions took place in March 2020, when four men convicted in the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder case were hanged.
The ruling marks a significant moment in the pursuit of accountability in cases involving custodial violence in India.
