Summary of this article
Kamal Haasan opposes the death penalty for nine policemen in connection with the custodial deaths of two individuals.
To him, those who commit heinous crimes should be imprisoned for life without any concessions.
He is against "atrocities committed against innocent people in the name of authority" and calls for eradication.
On Monday (April 6), a court in Madurai awarded the death sentence to nine policemen in connection with the custodial deaths of 58-year-old P. Jeyaraj and his 31-year-old son Benicks in Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu police station, almost six years ago.
Actor-politician Kamal Haasan issued a strong statement, condemning the death penalty of the policemen, while opposing capital punishment.
Kamal Haasan reacts to capital punishment
Taking to his X handle on Tuesday (April 7), Kamal Haasan wrote in Tamil, which is translated as, "Personally, I am opposed to the death penalty. My stance is that those who commit heinous crimes should be imprisoned for life without any concessions, subjected to rigorous hard labour."
"I think of the families of the 9 individuals sentenced to hanging. By engaging in such inhuman acts, how great a punishment have they inflicted on their own families, who are innocent of any sin?," he wrote further, adding, "My heart yearns for punishment to be meted out also to the doctor who gave a certificate without even examining those who were brutally injured in the police's murderous assault; the one who ordered remand; the officials who tried to cover up the facts; and the ruling party leaders who spoke without remorse, claiming that the two died of breathlessness."
The Vikram star also emphasised the need for strict rules of law. "Whoever commits crimes with the arrogance that power protects them—no matter how influential they are—must be punished severely under the law. Atrocities committed against innocent people in the name of authority must be eradicated," he concluded.
About Sathankulam custodial death case
In June 2020, the father and son from Sathankulam in Thoothukudi were arrested for allegedly keeping their mobile shop open beyond permitted hours during the Covid-19 lockdown. However, the charge was later found to be false. They were reportedly brutally tortured in police custody before being remanded. Their custodial deaths triggered backlash and protests across the country.
