Our Criminal Justice System Overlooks Victims of Police Torture

Edgar Kaiser Grace Anu

Jun 26 2026

The Global Torture Index 2025 classifies India as a country with “high risk” of torture and ill treatment, and the signed UN Convention Against Torture is yet to be ratified.

oday, June 26 is observed as International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

All 9 Cops Convicted In Tamil Nadu Father-Son Custodial Death Case

The custodial torture dates back to June 19, 2020, when Jayaraj and Benicks, who ran a mobile shop, were arrested for allegedly keeping their shop open beyond permitted hours during the lockdown, a claim later found to be false.

Madurai:

A court in Tamil Nadu's Madurai district on Monday convicted all nine police personnel accused in the custodial deaths of trader P Jayaraj and his son J Benicks in 2020. The court will decide on the punishment on March 30. 

Sathankulam Horror: A Conviction and a Reminder on India’s long march to Custodial Justice

Six years after a father and son were brutally tortured and killed in custody, a trial court has finally convicted nine Tamil Nadu policemen. But amidst a breakdown of accountability institutions across India, what does the future of custodial violence in India look like?