Chennai, July 5 (IANS) The Communist Party of India's (CPI) Tamil Nadu unit on Sunday demanded the state police scrap the Friends of Police (FoP) scheme permanently and not for just two months.

In a statement issued here, CPI's state Secretary R. Mutharasan said as per reports, police in Sathankulam police station in Tuticorin district had used the FoP personnel in assaulting P. Jeyaraj and his son J. Bennicks, resulting in their custodial death.

Even at the time of introduction of the FoP, a warning was issued that the scheme would be misused, he said.

Referring to reports of FoP being temporarily banned for two months by the state police, Mutharasan demanded that it be banned permanently.

Tamil Nadu Police has decided to ban FoP from patrolling or any police duty for two months and FoP members may be used for spreading awareness about Covid-19 among people.