‘George Floyds of India’: deaths of father, son put spotlight on police brutality

The two men were accused of keeping their store open past permitted hours in Tamil Nadu, which has reimposed a coronavirus lockdown

Their deaths triggered outrage across India, and comparisons to the killing of George Floyd in the US, which led to worldwide anti-racism protests

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People carry the coffins of Jayaraj, 58, and son Bennicks Immanuel, 31, allegedly tortured at the hands of police in Sathankulam, Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The deaths have sparked outrage across India. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:00am, 29 Jun 2020Updated: 8:00am, 29 Jun 2020

The deaths of a father and son from alleged torture at the hands of police have sparked outrage across India, with many drawing parallels with the killing of George Floyd in the United States.

Their case has thrown a new spotlight on police brutality just weeks after the killing of Floyd, an African-American man, by a white police officer in the US led to worldwide protests.

J. Jayaraj, 58, and Bennicks Immanuel, 31, were arrested on June 19 and accused of keeping their store open past permitted hours in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, which has reimposed a lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.

They died in hospital a few days later, officials said, with their family alleging in written complaints that they were severely abused by police and had suffered rectal bleeding.

A church priest consoles family members of Jayaraj, 58, and son Bennicks Immanuel, 31, allegedly tortured at the hands of police in Sathankulam, Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Photo: AFP

Two policemen involved in the alleged torture were suspended, the state’s Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami said.

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