Tuticorin Deaths: Cop suspended, two others put on waitlist ahead of Madras HC hearing

Ahead of the hearing in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, three more police officers involved in the Tuticorin custodial death case have been put on the waitlist. Sources revealed that Thuthukudi ASP Kumar and Sathankulam DSP Prathaban have been put on waitlist, while Constable Maharajan has been suspended.

This comes shortly after 4 police officers - including sub-inspectors and constables who were on duty were transferred and Sathankulam police station Inspector Sridhar was suspended on Sunday by the Tamil Nadu police department.

The suspension of the police officers is in response to the Kovilpatti Magistrate’s complaint to Madras High Court over "non-cooperation and derogatory remarks and threats" made against the magistrate who is investigating the case.

All three have been asked to appear on Tuesday in the Madras High Court. 

Read: Tuticorin Custodial Deaths: Police Inspector On-duty During Alleged Torture Suspended

District Magistrate: 'Police interfering with inquiry'

On Monday, the Sathankulam District Magistrate said that district police administration was preventing the magistrate's inquiry into the case. The magistrate court has registered a suo moto criminal contempt case in the incident, as per sources. The judge has observed that unless top police officers on-duty at the police station are transferred, the investigation cannot be free and fair and has ordered the 'hostile police officers' to appear in court on Tuesday morning at 10.30 AM.

Meanwhile, in contrast to the claims made by the Tuticorin police, the CCTV footage accessed by Republic TV on Monday confirmed that there was no argument or resistance between the father-son duo and the police on the day of their arrest. Moreover, the footage shows the father - Jeyaraj walking across the street on being summoned by the police, while Bennicks is seen following shortly.

Tuticorin custodial deaths

P Jayaraj (59) and his son Bennicks (31) - residents of Tuticorin, were picked up for questioning by Sathankulam police on June 19 for violating lockdown rules. As per police, the duo kept their mobile shop open during the lockdown. The duo were allegedly brutally beaten by the police in custody and then later released in a deteriorating health condition. Reports state that after sustaining severe injuries, both victims were shifted to the Kovilpatti government hospital where Beniks died on Monday evening and Jayaraj, who was diabetic, succumbed to a respiratory illness on Tuesday. 

Read: Tuticorin Custodial Deaths: DMK's Kanimozhi Questions Police Over CCTV Footage Revelation

Read: Tuticorin Custodial Deaths: TN Govt Transfers Case To CBI As HC Raises No Objections