As the custodial deaths of Jayaraj and Bennicks in Sathankulam, Thoothukudi district had triggered immense resentment against the police brutality across the state and the nation after the issue got national attention which has enhanced the voice and importance of the justice for the victims, most of the national notable faces have condemned the incident and stressed the government to deliver justice and take action against the responsible police officers.

National Political leaders, sport stars, celebrities, and actors and artists of the Tamil Cinema Industry had stood at one line and divulged their voice for demanding justice for the victims. In line with them, Actor and Political Hopeful Rajinikanth has spoken about the incident for the first time and issued a statement in which he strongly pressed that the responsible police officers must be met with the appropriate punishments.

Rajinikanth took to Twitter and released his statement, which has come nearly ten days after the death of Jayaraj and Bennicks, who died under police custody. In his statement, Rajinikanth said, "I'm deeply shocked after knowing how some of the policemen have behaved and spoken before the Judicial Magistrate at the Sathankulam station, even after having been condemned by people for torturing and brutally killing the father and son". 

#சத்தியமா_விடவே_கூடாது pic.twitter.com/MLwTKg1x4a

— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) July 1, 2020

He further reiterated that "All responsible must be given with appropriate punishments. They shouldn't let go". The actor's harsh stance of demanding justice has come at a high time when he has been criticized across the social media for observing silence from commenting on the incident when most of the known faces in the fraternity of the Tamil Cinema had spoken out about the custodial deaths. 

Rajinikanth has strongly condemned the behavior of DSP Prathapan, ASP Kumar, and Constable Mahararajan of Sathankulam Police Department when Kovilpatti Judicial Magistrate Bharathidhasan had gone to the police station to conduct the inquiry on June 28. In his report to the High Court, the Magistrate mentioned that Constable Maharajan had used derogatory remarks against him while the DSP and ASP remain uncooperative to the investigation into the death of the father and son.

The magistrate's report had sparked massive outrage and it also carried strong evidence against the policemen that they had beaten the father and son to death. Meanwhile, Rajinikanth was criticized by several people on social media on why the actor remain unspoken on the matter. They had criticized him by comparing his fierce statement during the Sterlite protests in Thoothukudi.

In 2018, Rajinikanth had backed the police department on carrying out the shooting against the protestors who protested against the Sterlite copper plant in Thoothukudi. When the police had gunned down and shot dead 13 people, including a student, Rajinikanth claimed that anti-social elements had infiltered the protests and caused communal riots.