<p>Chennai: A local court on Monday convicted nine police personnel for the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/custodial-death">custodial death</a> of P Jeyaraj and his son Emmanuel Bennix at the Sathankulam police station in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/tamil-nadu">Tamil Nadu</a>’s Thoothukudi district in June 2020. </p><p>The case had sent shock waves across the country for the brutality inflicted on the father-son duo by policemen over an argument. </p><p>Jeyaraj and Bennix were arrested by the Sathankulam police on June 19, 2020 – while the son took his last breath on June 22 while the father died the next day due to mercilessly beating by scores of policemen who took turns. The police brutality sent shockwaves across the country with the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court taking suo moto cognizance of the case and is monitoring the probe. </p><p>Judge G Muthukumaran of the First Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai found Inspector S Sridhar, sub-inspectors P Raghu Ganesh and K Balakrishnan; head constables S Murugan and A Saamidurai; and constables M Muthuraj, S Chelladurai, Thomas X and S Veil Muthu, guilty of murder. The 10th accused in the case, special sub-inspector Pauldurai, died due to Covid-19.</p>.DMK promise fizzles: Tamil Nadu Assembly meets least since 1952.<p>The judge will announce the quantum of punishment on March 30.</p><p>In its investigation, the CBI concluded that Jeyaraj and his son Bennix were subjected to brutal torture by the policemen. </p><p>Bennix (31), and 60-year-old Jeyaraj were taken to the Sathankulam police station on June 19 over an argument that the father had with a policeman. What followed was a nightmare for the family. The father-son duo was beaten up mercilessly by scores of policemen who took turns and they succumbed to the grievous injuries suffered a few days later. </p><p>Bennix was a dotting brother for his sisters and made it a habit to talk to their children every day.</p><p>Persis had told DH in June 2021 that she still repents not picking Bennix’s phone on a fateful night last year – she did not pick the phone as she thought it was a regular call from her brother, not knowing that their father had been picked up by police. </p><p>“I still repent not attending the phone call. If I had attended, I could have spoken to him one last time. Maybe I would have told him to be cool and not get tensed about our father’s arrest. If only I had attended the call,” she had said. </p>
<p>Chennai: A local court on Monday convicted nine police personnel for the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/custodial-death">custodial death</a> of P Jeyaraj and his son Emmanuel Bennix at the Sathankulam police station in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/tamil-nadu">Tamil Nadu</a>’s Thoothukudi district in June 2020. </p><p>The case had sent shock waves across the country for the brutality inflicted on the father-son duo by policemen over an argument. </p><p>Jeyaraj and Bennix were arrested by the Sathankulam police on June 19, 2020 – while the son took his last breath on June 22 while the father died the next day due to mercilessly beating by scores of policemen who took turns. The police brutality sent shockwaves across the country with the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court taking suo moto cognizance of the case and is monitoring the probe. </p><p>Judge G Muthukumaran of the First Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai found Inspector S Sridhar, sub-inspectors P Raghu Ganesh and K Balakrishnan; head constables S Murugan and A Saamidurai; and constables M Muthuraj, S Chelladurai, Thomas X and S Veil Muthu, guilty of murder. The 10th accused in the case, special sub-inspector Pauldurai, died due to Covid-19.</p>.DMK promise fizzles: Tamil Nadu Assembly meets least since 1952.<p>The judge will announce the quantum of punishment on March 30.</p><p>In its investigation, the CBI concluded that Jeyaraj and his son Bennix were subjected to brutal torture by the policemen. </p><p>Bennix (31), and 60-year-old Jeyaraj were taken to the Sathankulam police station on June 19 over an argument that the father had with a policeman. What followed was a nightmare for the family. The father-son duo was beaten up mercilessly by scores of policemen who took turns and they succumbed to the grievous injuries suffered a few days later. </p><p>Bennix was a dotting brother for his sisters and made it a habit to talk to their children every day.</p><p>Persis had told DH in June 2021 that she still repents not picking Bennix’s phone on a fateful night last year – she did not pick the phone as she thought it was a regular call from her brother, not knowing that their father had been picked up by police. </p><p>“I still repent not attending the phone call. If I had attended, I could have spoken to him one last time. Maybe I would have told him to be cool and not get tensed about our father’s arrest. If only I had attended the call,” she had said. </p>