‘Torture meted out to father-son after visit to hospital led to their deaths’

The two men had ‘baton marks all over the body with blood clots’

Even as the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court is closely monitoring the judicial probe pertaining to the mysterious deaths of timber trader P. Jayaraj of Sattankulam and his son Benicks in judicial custody, it is learnt that the duo were subjected to untold torture after they were taken to Sattankulam Government Hospital for mandatory medical examination.

When the police brought the two to Sattankulam GH at 9.30 a.m. on June 20 — after arresting them around 8.30 p.m. the previous night — the duo looked weary with swollen faces. They got down from the police vehicle and walked into the hospital without anyone’s help, eyewitnesses said.

When they were screened by a doctor on duty, it was found that they had high blood pressure.

A person working at Sattankulam GH said Benicks and Jayaraj had baton marks all over the body with blood clots, especially on the thighs, buttocks and the back, suggesting that they had been severely beaten up in police custody.

“When the doctor asked about the injuries, Benicks, a kabaddi player, said they fell down while trying to escape from the police and consequently got injured. Even when the doctor repeated the same question after asking the policemen to wait in the waiting hall, Benicks gave the same reply, while Jayaraj was in tears,” said the source.

When the duo were given medicines and asked to rest there for a while, their blood pressure subsided and they left the hospital with the police at 11.30 a.m.

“They [Benicks and Jayaraj] were at the hospital for about two hours and were able to walk back to the police vehicle that apparently left for the jail. Before they were taken to the vehicle, the doctor told the police to check their blood pressure without fail before lodging them in prison,” said sources.

Though they could have been lodged in the sub-jail in Srivaikundam or Thoothukudi, or in Palayamkottai Central Jail, all situated about 40 km from Sattankulam, the police took them to Kovilpatti sub-jail, situated about 100 km away.

“Since Benicks and Jayaraj were relatively in good shape when they were taken to Sattankulam GH, something terrible happened to them when they were on their way to Kovilpatti sub-jail with police escort. It should be probed by a competent agency,” said a close relative of Benicks.