Former MP and President of Students and Youth for Thiruvalluvar Tarun Vijay has filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission and has demanded a probe by central agencies over the Sathankulam police brutality incident that resulted in the death of Jeyaraj (59) and Bennix (31).

Jeyaraj and his son Bennix had been detained by the police at Sathankulam Police Station of Thoothukudi district, following a dispute over having kept their shop open despite the lockdown.

Mr. Tarun Vijay in his complaint said “It is a national blot on us, it hurts me here in Uttarakhand, sitting in Dehradun as much as it hurts Tamils. Hence I am filing this complaint from Himalayas”.

He expressed his anguish in a strong manner saying that people who were supposed to provide protection and uphold the dignity and spirit of the Constitution became monsters.

He said that the culprits must be given the harshest punishment and must be treated like terrorists.

“Justice has been broken into smithereens. India has been ashamed. Citizenship has been abused. Faith of the citizen in law and order machinery has been broken.  They have shamed  savages like Pol Pot, Idi Amin and ISIS terrorists.” Mr. Tarun Vijay said in his complaint.

The former MP who is known for his affinity towards Tamil and passionate about Tamil causes quoted extensively from the Iraimaatchi (The Greatness of a King) chapter of Thirukkural to drive home the point of upholding justice.

The complaint was filed through Human Rights Defense International (HRDI), an organisation committed to the cause of Indian Diaspora, minorities, refugees, stateless people, women, workers and other marginalised sections of society, of which Mr. Tarun Vijay is a member.

Speaking to The Commune, Secretary General of HRDI, advocate and human rights activist Rajesh Gogna said that the colonial mindset of police force still exists. He said that the history of police brutality shows that it is the marginalized sections and common citizenry who fall victims. “Police have much more power during emergency situations like this, they should act with a sense of responsibility” he said.

“They are middle class people who had opened their mobile shops to cater to the needs of public. They had just kept their shops open for 30-40 mins extra. What was the crime in that?” Mr. Rajesh Gogna said. He termed the incident a “custodial murder” and said that the culprit officers must be tried as ordinary criminals and not as police officers with privileges. He pressed for the registration of an FIR and arrest of those involved. He called for a judicial enquiry by a sitting Supreme Court or a High Court Judge.

Mr. Rajesh Gogna added that the family should be given a compensation of ₹1 crore. “If police officers who die of COVID19 can be given ₹1 crore, why only ₹10 lakh for those who died at the hands of police officers who were supposed to protect their lives?” he said.