Tension prevailed outside the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, as police detained the parents and relatives of Akash Delison, the Manamadurai youth who died while in judicial custody, after they opposed the government’s move to conduct his final rites in accordance with a Madras High Court order.
The body of Akash, a resident of Krishna Rajapuram Colony in Manamadurai, Sivaganga district, has remained in the mortuary at GRH for more than 100 days after his family refused to accept it, demanding action against police personnel allegedly responsible for his death.
According to officials, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had earlier directed that Akash’s body be received and buried by his family before 5 p.m. on the specified date. The court had further stated that if the family failed to do so, the state authorities would be permitted to take possession of the body and conduct the burial in a dignified manner.
Subsequently, Justice Victoria Gowri directed the Madurai District Collector, the Madurai Corporation Commissioner, the Dean of Government Rajaji Hospital and other competent authorities to take immediate steps to ensure that the body was buried respectfully in accordance with the court’s orders.
As part of the arrangements, more than 100 police personnel were deployed at Government Rajaji Hospital, where Akash’s body has been kept in a refrigerated mortuary following the post-mortem examination.
Akash’s family members arrived at the hospital and objected to the authorities proceeding with the burial. They informed officials that they had filed an appeal petition and requested that the burial be postponed until further legal proceedings were completed. Family members engaged in arguments with police personnel and hospital authorities, insisting that the government should not conduct the funeral.
Police officials held talks with the family in an attempt to persuade them to cooperate. However, as the protests continued and relatives allegedly obstructed the implementation of the court’s order, police detained Akash’s parents and several relatives.
Following the detentions, authorities proceeded with plans to transport the body for burial under official supervision, in compliance with the High Court’s directions.
Akash died on March 7 after being admitted to Government Rajaji Hospital while in judicial custody. According to reports, he had sustained a leg fracture after allegedly jumping from a bridge when police attempted to arrest him on March 6 in connection with an attempted murder case.
His family has consistently alleged that he was assaulted and killed during police interrogation. They have demanded that a case be registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the personnel involved and have also sought compensation of ₹50 lakh for the family. Citing these demands, the family had refused to receive the body and had been staging protests for over three months.
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