The South is either ignored by mainstream media or fetishised by the woke on Twitter. Caste and class are still deeply prevalent, albeit better hidden behind the garb of literacy & other ‘progressive’ narratives.

So let's talk about the south- in particular, TN's violent history with the police.

As per an article in The Federal, after the Superindent of Police, Arun Balagopalan assumed charge last year, the district (Thoothukudi) witnessed a lot of human rights violations by the police, with more than nine murders.

Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2019 references the increase in extra judicial killings in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Haryana. In 2018, Tamil Nadu topped the list among southern states with 76 custodial deaths.

To make matters worse: DUE PROCESS IS FUCKING SHAM- ACROSS STATES.

According to government data, a judicial inquiry was conducted in only 31 of the 97 custodial deaths reported in 2015.

In 26 cases, there was not even an autopsy of the deceased.

(source: Human Rights Watch)

Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative's compilation of deaths due to alleged police excesses during the lockdown reports 6 of the 15 deaths from Southern states, for reasons as trivial as sitting outside a shut shop that the victims (from a minority community) themselves owned.

Representation matters! But the NHRC's annual report has a very myopic view on police excesses. In the year 2017-18, there is not a single illustrative reference to any police excess in Southern states, especially those in response to the Jallikatu protests.

Speaking of- during the 2017 pro jallikatu protests, cops beat up teenage & elderly bystanders in chennai itself. In other parts of the state, the violence was worse.

Despite being given over a year, in May 2018, there had been no conclusive report. The trail has since run cold

Coming to the district where the father-son duo were brutally murdered by the police; Thoothukudi has a bloody history of police excess & violence.

For the uninitiated, in 2018, citizens came out in protest of Sterlite Copper's environmentally damaging practices. In retaliation, over 2 days, the police opened fire on protestors killing 13 people, and leaving 102 injured.

Apart from using live bullets, many were shot from behind. And all those who were killed by the police, were shot in the head/chest, a clear violation of protocol

In just the last few years, the NHRC, and the TN State Human Rights Commission has asked the government to submit reports on various different cases of police brutality.

The biggest fucking joke right now is that the TN State Human Rights Commission doesn't have a goddamn Chairperson. Between November 2019 and Feb 2020, there wasn't even an Acting Chairperson in place.

The post still remains vacant.

ACAB. This system is rotten. There's no justice.

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data in 2018;

In the 80 registered cases (lesser than actuals) of human rights violation, 0 cops were convicted.

TN was the state w 2nd highest number of deaths in police custody, in 2018- NCRB data

literally 0 were chargesheeted and absolutely NONE were brought to justice.

Everything I've referenced is easily accessible through articles, archives, stats- all a google search away

This judicial system is rigged against its people. We're arming men on power trips, expecting them to keep us, and our minorities, safe.

The intersection of class & caste in police brutality is a whole other (NECESSARY) conversation.

Bottomline is simple: carceral justice does not work. it never has. it never will- reform won't change this.

ACAB. Abolish this system.