Kanimozhi sends a second missive to NHRC over custodial deaths of Sathankulam father-son duo.
Kanimozhi sends a second missive to NHRC over custodial deaths of Sathankulam father-son duo.
A sexagenarian trader, Jayaraj, and his son Bennicks died in Kovilpatti sub-jail between Monday evening and Tuesday early morning hours after they were arrested by the Sathankulam police on June 19 for violating lockdown restrictions and keeping their shop open beyond the permitted time limit.
Amid widespread condemnation of the police force over these apparent custodial torture deaths DMK MP Kanimozhi wrote a letter to the National Human Rights Commission mentioning that the police inserted a baton into the anus of the 31-year-old Fenix, triggering uncontrolled bleeding.
Further, police beat up his father Jayaraj and kicked him on his chest multiple times with their shoes she accused. Kanimozhi demanded the death of father-son duo to be considered as murder and those responsible for their deaths arrested. Anything less will be a travesty of justice, she said in the letter.
Meanwhile, she has written a second letter to the National Human Rights Commission in furtherance to her letter dated June 26.
She has pointed out that the FIR filed against Jayaraj and Fenix has no grounds for remanding the two.
Citing the Supreme Court verdict in Manubhai Ratilal Pater Tr. Ushaben vs State Gujarat case as an example, Kanimozhi stated that the Magistrate who remanded the father and the son erred. "It is apparent that the Learned Judicial Magistrate has without taking into consideration of the fact that Mr. Jayaraj and Mr. Fenix do not have any criminal antecedence and the primary offence merely related to the act of keeping the shop open beyond the time set out by the authorities, had without application of mind, ordered their remand," she lambasted.
She has urged criminal proceedings be initiated against the accused police officials. She has written, "There is no bar in registration of case under Section 302 of Indian Penal Code and even proceeding with remand of the accused police officials who have perpetuated these violent and heinous crimes."
She has concluded her report with a plea to the NHRC. "Therefore, I hereby request the NHRC to immediately issue suitable directions or take suo moto cognizance of the multiple incidents of police brutality by police officials associated with Sathankulam Police Station by exercising its powers under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 and initiate appropriate action against the public officials responsible for the various violation of human rights and custodial deaths," Kanimozhi wrote.
Tweeting this letter on her Twitter handle, Kanimozhi also posted a photograph in which she wears a mask with the hashtag #JusticeForJayarajAndFenix.