In a significant ruling, a Madurai court in Tamil Nadu sentenced nine police officers to death for their roles in the custodial deaths of P Jayaraj and his son J Bennix. The tragic events unfolded in June 2020 when the father and son were detained for allegedly violating COVID-19 regulations. They were brutally assaulted while in custody, leading to their deaths days later. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the case after the Tamil Nadu government sought a fair investigation due to public outcry. The court described the actions of the police as a crime that violated the public trust and classified the case as the 'rarest of rare.' In addition to the death penalty, the court ordered the officers to pay a combined fine of ₹1.40 crore (approximately $170,000 USD) as compensation to the victims' family. The judge emphasized the need for severe punishment to deter such brutality in the future. The trial included testimonies from 105 witnesses over five years, highlighting the extensive investigation into this grievous incident.