E-Paper
Tamil Nadu custodial deaths: Three more policemen arrested
Chennai:
Chennai:
Tamil Nadu Investigators arrested three police personnel on Thursday in connection with the alleged custodial torture and death of a father and son as the Madurai bench of the Madras high court (HC) ordered protection for the key eyewitness in the case that has sparked outrage across India.
The Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) arrested inspector Sridhar, sub-inspector Balakrishnan and constable Murugan. So far, five policemen have been charged under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in connection with the alleged custodial deaths of P Jayaraj, 59 and J Bennicks, 31, based on the key eyewitness’s statement and preliminary post-mortem reports.
The CB-CID is on the lookout for another constable, Maharajan, against whom a contempt case is being heard in court for his conduct towards the judicial magistrate of Kovilpatti, MS Barathidasan, who conducted a probe into the incident. Sub-inspector Raghu Ganesh, who was under suspension, was arrested on Wednesday.
Inspector General of Police, CB-CID, K Shankar said that murder charges were pressed against five policemen and four of them were arrested. “We are on the lookout for one more constable (Maharajan),” he said.
Bennicks and Jayaraj died on June 22 and June 23 after undergoing hours of alleged torture at the Sathankulam police station in Thoothukudi district on June 19. They were arrested on June 19 and lodged in Kovilpatti sub-jail for keeping their mobile phone shop in the Sathankulam main bazaar area open during the lockdown.
On Thursday, the HC ordered the police to send a woman officer, a head constable of Sathankulam police station, on a month’s paid leave from July 1 and deputed four police constables outside her house for protection.
She testified on record that the father and son were beaten through the night on June 19. However, she sought anonymity as she was concerned about the repercussions she may face due to her testimony.
After speaking to the head constable over phone with speaker, the court stated that, “she feels safe in her native village with her relatives around her.” If she faced threats she could complain to either the magistrate Kovilpatti or the chief judicial magistrate of Thoothukudi, S Hema, to bring it to the court’s notice.
“The court has assured me with all possible help,” the lady head constable told HT. “Police have been stationed in front of my house. My family and I are safe for now,” she added.
It is not yet clear whether her parent’s home will receive any police protection. “The court hasn’t given any specific direction [on Thursday regarding the security arrangements] and they seem to be satisfied with the arrangements,” district collector Sandeep Nanduri said.
The court also looked into the R10-crore ‘Police Wellbeing Programme’ launched by Tamil Nadu by signing an MoU with NIMHANS Bengaluru in 2018 for a period of three years. “Only through such Wellbeing Programmes can violent propensities in individuals be stymied...we cannot afford to lose any more Bennicks and Jayarajs to violence,” the court said.
