Published Mar 15, 2026 | 9:33 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 15, 2026 | 9:33 AM
(Representational image)
Synopsis: The alleged custodial death of a 26-year-old man in Tamil Nadu triggered protests from the family and others. Taken into custody over a violence case, he was allegedly assaulted by the police. Following the death, the case has been transferred to the CB-CID for investigation.
The death of 26-year-old Akash Delison from Sivagangai district in Tamil Nadu on 8 March triggered widespread allegations of custodial torture, with the post-mortem examination recording 29 injuries on his body, including a severe fracture of the right leg and internal bleeding in the brain.
The incident comes months after the custodial death of Ajith Kumar in neighbouring Thiruppuvanam in the same Sivagangai district, which had also triggered allegations of police torture.
According to police records, the case against Delison originated from a violent incident that took place late at night on 5 March at Sion Nagar in Manamadurai. Two men who arrived on a motorcycle allegedly attacked Jayakumar from Jeeva Nagar and Azhagar from Athanoor with sickles, leaving them seriously injured.
Residents rushed the injured men to the hospital for treatment, after which the Manamadurai police registered a case and began searching for the attackers.
During the investigation, police arrested Delison and another man identified as Guna on 6 March in connection with the attack. Police earlier claimed that Akash sustained a fracture while attempting to escape from custody during the arrest operation.
Following the injury, Akash was first admitted to the Sivagangai Government Medical College Hospital and was later shifted to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai for advanced treatment.
On 8 March, Delison reportedly developed breathing difficulties while undergoing treatment and died despite medical care, according to initial accounts.
However, his death soon sparked controversy, with his family members and several political organisations alleging that he died due to custodial torture.
Speaking to the media, Delison’s parents claimed that the police took him to a forest area during interrogation and brutally assaulted him.
“There are serious doubts surrounding my son’s death. Police took him to a forest area in the name of inquiry, placed stones on his legs and beat him, breaking his leg. They also abused him with caste-based slurs. Because of this assault, my son died,” his parent alleged.
Following legal proceedings, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court ordered a post-mortem examination.
According to the findings, 29 injuries were documented on Akash’s body, most of them surface abrasions. The major injury was a severe fracture in the right leg with extensive tissue damage. The report also noted internal bleeding in the brain.
The final cause of death has been reserved pending laboratory analysis.
Meanwhile, independent private forensic experts engaged by the petitioner’s counsel raised serious concerns about the manner in which Delison’s post-mortem examination was conducted at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.
After reviewing the post-mortem report and the videography, they claimed that standard protocols under the Tamil Nadu Medical Code and NHRC guidelines were not properly followed during the autopsy.
The experts noted that the examination did not follow the usual sequence of dissection. Instead, the injured right leg was examined first, which they described as unusual in forensic practice.
They also pointed to discrepancies between the autopsy video and the findings recorded in the report, particularly regarding internal injuries.
The experts further argued that the injury pattern was inconsistent with the police claim that Akash had jumped from a 25–30-foot bridge, as typical fall injuries, such as multiple fractures, impact injuries, or thorn pricks from bushes below the bridge, were absent.
According to them, the body showed mainly a severe injury to the right leg, which does not match the injuries usually seen in falls from height.
They also highlighted gaps in documentation and procedure, including incomplete recording of injuries, lack of proper photographic documentation and failure to clearly state the time, manner and provisional cause of death in the post-mortem report.
Before his death, on 7 March, Delison gave a statement to the Judicial Magistrate Court in Manamadurai, when the latter visited him in the orthopaedic ward at the Sivagangai Government Medical College Hospital.
The remand report was recorded by Judicial Magistrate M Afzal Fathima in connection with Crime No. 93/2026 of Manamadurai Police Station.
In his statement, Delison alleged that he had been assaulted by police personnel.
According to the report, Akash told the magistrate that around 1.30 pm the previous day, while he and Guna were sitting under a karuvelam (gum arabic) tree at Kilangattur, around 10 men in plain clothes detained them.
They were allegedly taken to Velur Murugapanchan Road, where they were given food and kept until about 4.30 pm. Later, they were transported towards the Sivagangai road, where four uniformed policemen blindfolded them with a white cloth.
Delison stated that he was then taken alone in another vehicle to a different location. According to his statement, police made him sit down, placed two stones beneath his right leg, one below the thigh and another below the knee, covered the leg with a wet sack, and then struck his right leg with an iron rod.
He told the magistrate that the blow fractured the bone immediately, causing severe bleeding and pain. After the assault, he said, the blindfold was removed, and he was taken to the Manamadurai Government Hospital.
Delison further stated that when doctors asked about his injury, police forced him to say that he had fallen from the Melapasalai bridge, and that he repeated the version out of fear. He was later shifted to the Sivagangai Government Hospital around 6.30 pm.
Delison also told the magistrate that he could not identify the police personnel who assaulted him since his eyes had been covered.
The magistrate recorded his complaint of torture and ill-treatment by police. The report also noted a few scratch injuries on his left thigh, which Akash attributed to karuvelam thorns.
Since doctors indicated that he required further orthopaedic treatment and there was no convict ward in the Sivagangai hospital, the magistrate ordered that he be remanded to judicial custody and treated in the convict ward of the Government Rajaji Medical College Hospital in Madurai until 18 March.
Following Delison’s death, the case has now been transferred to the CB-CID for investigation. Since Delison belonged to a Scheduled Caste (SC) community, the case has also been registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Delison’s father, Rajesh Kannan, has filed a petition before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court demanding that a case be registered against 16 police personnel in connection with his son’s death.
He has also sought ₹50 lakh compensation, and the court has reserved its order on the plea.
Amid the controversy, six police personnel attached to the Manamadurai police station have been placed under suspension. The order was issued by Ramanathapuram–Sivagangai Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Manivannan.
Those suspended include Inspector Dhilipan, Sub-Inspector Gugan, and constables Deivendran, Manoharan, Sarath and Kaleeswaran.
Meanwhile, CB-CID officials have begun an intensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Delison’s death.
Henry Tiphagne, advocate and the executive director of People’s Watch, a human rights NGO, strongly condemned the death of Delison in custody.
He said this was the 26th custodial death reported since the DMK government assumed office and alleged that the police department has been functioning in a manner hostile towards Dalit communities.
He added that he would continue to pursue a legal battle to secure justice for Delison.
In a statement, he demanded that adequate compensation be provided to Delison’s family, justice be delivered for his death, and that custodial deaths in Tamil Nadu must be completely eradicated.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
