Special Sub-inspector of Police Pauldurai, one of the 10 accused arrested in the Sathankulam custodial death case, died due to COVID-19 at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in the wee hours on Monday, August 10.
He was arrested in connection with the twin custodial deaths of trader P Jayaraj and his son J Benicks in Sathankulam town of Tamil Nadu.
SSI Pauldurai was one of the police officers who was taken into custody by CB-CID and later taken into CBI custody for investigation in the Sathankulam twin custodial deaths case.
On July 24 had tested positive for coronavirus while he was lodged in Madurai Central Prison and was shifted to the GRH for further COVID-19 treatment.
During his treatment, his family alleged that he was not given proper treatment. SSI Pauldurai's body was taken to Madurai government hospital for a postmortem.
Jayaraj and Benicks custodial death
On June 19, two shopkeepers, 50-year-old P Jayaraj and his 31-year-old son Benicks were brought in to the Sathankulam police station for questioning in Tuticorin. They were brought in on charges for violating lockdown rules by keeping their mobile shop running during the lockdown. However, they were 'beaten to death' at the police station, according to reports. While Jayaraj passed away on June 22, his son Benicks died on June 23.
On July 5, 56-year-old Pauldurai was arrested in connection with the alleged custodial torture and the subsequent death of Thoothukudi father-son trader duo Jeyaraj and Benicks.
