Bennix and his father Jeyaraj (right) died on June 22 (Illustration by Vishnu PP)One of the policemen accused in the custodial deaths of a father and son at a village in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district died of Covid-19 on Monday, officials said. Special sub-inspector Paldurai (54) was one of the 10 policemen arrested in connection with the alleged custodial torture of P Jeyaraj and his son Bennicks at the Sathankulam police station in June. He was in remand custody at Madurai Central Prison.
With a CBI probe into the custodial deaths case in progress, Paldurai tested positive for coronavirus on July 24 and was shifted to the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai. Doctors at the hospital said he was highly diabetic, which made his condition worse.
On Saturday, his wife Mangaiyaar Thilagarm requested Madurai city police to shift him to a private hospital at her expense as his health condition continued to deteriorate. However, he died on Monday morning at GRH. A magisterial probe will be ordered into the death of Paldurai as he was a remand prisoner.