Body of custodial torture victim Akash Delison taken for cremation following court order

Madurai district authorities on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, took the body of 26-year-old Akash Delison, who allegedly died on March 8 due to custodial torture by Manamadurai police, to Thathaneri cremation ground after his family members refused to collect his body.

While the body was transferred to the Government Rajaji Hospital morgue in Madurai under tight security, family members and supporters protested the attempt to collect the body. The move comes after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the authorities to take immediate steps for the honorable disposal of his body.

Family members stated that they would object to the court decision and requested additional time for the cremation of the body. However, officials told them they would implement the court’s directive.

As the tension increased, 14 people who tried to prevent the authorities from carrying the body were detained. However, Akash Delison’s parents, sister and uncle were taken to Thathaneri cremation yard where the body was cremated.