MyVoice: Views of our readers 8th April 2026

Game changing sentence

I cannot restrain myself from appreciating the concerned judge of Madurai for sentencing all the nine custodial death accused policemen to double death sentences as the offence invited maximum punishment considering its gravity. This is a rare judgement on custodial death of two individuals. We seldom find perpetrators of custodial violence leading to death of an arrested or detained person, getting punished in the first place, leave alone a lifer or death sentence. The fine of Rs 84 lakh imposed on the main accused is apparently meant as a token compensation to the bereaved family of the two deceased.

As the legal procedure is time-consuming, my suggestion is after the death sentence, the entire follow-up procedure should be fast-tracked so that the scope for ‘manipulations’ is minimised, and the sentence of a lower court stands legal scrutiny and instils fear in the future. Political interference should not be tolerated, and accountability must be ensured at every level of administration and judiciary to make the system strong against the offenders. I will not be surprised to ultimately see all the nine convicts in this case escaping death sentences at the SC or HC level as our system has a history of converting death sentences to life imprisonment.

Govardhana Myneedu, Vijayawada

Don’t spare barbaric cops

The recent judgement of a trial court awarding death penalty to the nine policemen involved in the custodial torture of a father and son in Tamil Nadu’s Thootukudi district is a daring judgement that confirms that no one is above law. In fact, the charges against the father were that he had kept his mobile shop open during the Covid-19 lockdown, which is not a serious offence. Instead of serving a warning to the two, the police personnel tortured him and his son to such a brutal extent they succumbed to the injuries.

The judge held that a custodial death is a social evil and an attack on human rights. As per the oath taken while undergoing training, police personnel should behave like public servants and serve the people. But what is happening? A person who comes to lodge a complaint must first pay bribe, which is the reason people dread going to police stations with their complaints. A strong solution should be initiated by the Assembly and Parliament to curb such barbaric police excesses.

TSN Rao, Hyderabad

A landmark verdict

That nine policemen are being awarded death sentence by a trial court in Tamil Nadu in a custodial death case is exemplary. The arrest and gruesome murder of two businessmen in the name of violating lockdown rules by the TN police had shaken nation’s conscience five years ago. The Madras High court took up that case suo motu and ordered CBI enquiry that paved the way for a proper investigation, trial and verdict. The ghastly incident should force the country to take the path of policing reforms.

There are findings and reports of a dozen commissions, including the Supreme Court’s recommendations that are waiting to be implemented in this regard. Right from accountability at district and state level functionaries, many issues like fixed tenure at the helm and immunity from political pressures. This landmark verdict should be an eye-opener.

Dr D V G Sankara Rao, GEMS Medical College, Srikakulam

Death punishment is justified

In a first in India, nine policemen, including an inspector and sub-inspector working at Sattankulam police station in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu were awarded death punishment. It is a case of “fence eating the crop”. It is very shocking to know that the police arrested a father and his son for running their cell phone shop defying the Covid-19 lockdown norms, which eventually were proved wrong.

They were beaten to death inside the premises of the police station. It is reported that the case would have been buried if the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had not monitored. As custodial deaths are an attack on human rights, a mere life sentence would have been an insufficient punishment. The verdict should serve as a deterrent and prevent such recurrences. The death punishment and slapping the convicts an overwhelming Rs 1.84 crore fine on convicts is a welcome decision.

Pratapa Reddy Yaramala, Tiruvuru (AP)