NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, JULY 1
The National Human Rights Council (NHRC) on Wednesday said it has issued notices to the DGP of Tamil Nadu and SP of Thoothukudi district in the southern state over the death of a father-son duo allegedly due to torture by police.
The report has to include inquest report, postmortem examination report, medical treatment record, magisterial enquiry report and health screening report of both victims, within 6 weeks.
— NHRC India (@India_NHRC) July 1, 2020
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in a tweet, also said it has sought a report from the police officers, which has to “include inquest report, post-mortem examination report, medical treatment record, magisterial enquiry report and health screening report of both victims, within 6 weeks”.
P Jayaraj and his son Bennix, who were arrested for “violating” lockdown norms over the business hours of their cell phone shop, died at a hospital in Kovilpatti in Thoothukudi district on June 23, with the relatives alleging that they were severely thrashed at the Sathankulam police station by the personnel earlier.
The incident has triggered a nationwide furore. “NHRC notice to DGP, Tamil Nadu and SP, Thoothukudi on allegations of the deaths of father-son due to police torture,” the rights panel said in a tweet.
Tamil Nadu CB-CID begins probe
Meanwhile, the CB-CID, tasked with probing the death of a father-son duo who were allegedly thrashed by the police in Thoothukudi, began their investigation into the case on Wednesday.
A team led by CB-CID Inspector General of Police Shankar and Superintendent of Police Vijaykumar inspected the Sathankulam Police station and began investigating the case.
Addressing reporters, CB-CID IG said “We have started an investigation in the case. We will further update on the matter”, the IG said.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had on Tuesday directed the investigating agency’s Tirunelveli DSP Anil Kumar to probe the death of the two traders, who died in a hospital after being allegedly beaten up by police personnel at the Sathankulam police station last week.
CB-CID officials led by Kumar conducted enquiries with the family members of the deceased, besides in the locality where the duo ran their cellphone shop. CB-CID sleuths also visited the Sathankulam police station, since brought under the Revenue department as directed by the High Court.
The Madras High Court had directed a CB-CID probe into the matter although the state government had transferred the case to the CBI.
