Kamal Haasan Opposes Death Penalty for 9 Policemen in Sathankulam Custodial Death Case.

Actor-politician Kamal Haasan has expressed his opposition to the death penalty for the nine policemen convicted in the Sathankulam custodial death case, despite condemning the brutality of the crime. The Madurai court sentenced the policemen to death for the murder of P. Jayaraj and his son J. Bennix, who were tortured in police custody in June 2020 ¹ ² ³.

Kamal Haasan stated that he is "personally against the death penalty" and believes those guilty of heinous crimes should be imprisoned for life with hard labor, without concessions. He emphasized that the punishment should be rigorous and lawful, ensuring accountability without resorting to capital punishment .

Kamal Haasan also called for accountability beyond the convicted policemen, questioning the roles of officials involved in the case, including the doctor who certified the victims without examination and authorities who attempted to suppress facts. He stressed that systemic failures must be addressed to prevent such incidents 

The Sathankulam custodial death case dates back to June 2020, when Jayaraj and Bennix were arrested for allegedly violating COVID-19 lockdown norms. They were brutally tortured in police custody, leading to their deaths days later, sparking nationwide outrage .