Chennai (Tamil Nadu): The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu has announced an additional Rs 25 lakh to be given to the family of P Jayaraj and his son J Benicks, who died of alleged custodial torture in Thoothukudi district.
This is in addition to the Rs 20 lakh handed over by AIADMK-led State government as financial assistance compensation to the next of the kin of the father-son duo, the AIADMK party announced on Friday.
Information Minister C. Raju accompanied by Collector Sandeep Nanduri yesterday handed over the compensation announced by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to the distressed family.
The Opposition DMK party had on Friday handed over Rs 25 lakh to the aggrieved family. MP Kanimozhi had met the bereaved family members and handed over a cheque for Rs 25 lakh on behalf of DMK chief MK Stalin and assured the family of the party's complete support.
Meanwhile, the Superintendent of Police (SP), Thoothukudi submitted a status report at the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on June 26 in connection with the alleged custodial deaths of the father-son duo.
The SP, who appeared through video-conferencing said that the postmortem procedure had been completed but the report could not be submitted due to the curfew being in place.
P Jayaraj (59) and his son J Benicks (31), were arrested on June 19 and lodged in Kovilpatti sub-jail for keeping their mobile phone shop in the Sathankulam main bazaar area open during curfew imposed during coronavirus lockdown.
Jayaraju and Benicks were then admitted to the Kovilpatti government hospital on June 22. While the son died on the same night, the father breathed his last on June 23 morning.
According to reports, two Senior Inspectors have been suspended while departmental action is also being taken against two chief guards of the jail.
The death of the duo had sparked protests across parts of Tamil Nadu with many taking to the streets to demand justice and the incident has even triggered even on social media platforms.
(ANI)
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