Cops from dominant castes, knew Akash was Dalit, assaulted to kill him: CB-CID

MADURAI: The CB-CID that investigated the custodial death of 26-year-old Scheduled Caste youth Akash Delison stated in its chargesheet that the six accused policemen who belonged to a dominant caste were aware that Akash belonged to the Hindu Devendrakula Velalar (SC) community and assaulted him with the intention to kill.

Though the chargesheet was filed on June 18, the CB-CID shared a copy with Akash’s parents only nearly 66 days later, after the family submitted representations to district authorities and staged many protests demanding a copy.

His family and human rights activists now ask why the six policemen have not been arrested despite the incriminating chargesheet.

“The investigation conducted so far reveals that the accused, fully aware that the deceased Akash Delison belonged to the Hindu Devendrakula Velalar community, took him in a police vehicle on March 6, 2026, around 5.30 pm to a secluded, low-lying area full of eucalyptus trees, off the road to Maanambathi village. With the intention of causing his death, all the accused beat Akash below his right knee and above his ankle with an iron rod, inflicting severe fractures. This assault led to fat embolism, which directly caused his death,” the chargesheet states.

Fighting back her tears while sharing the chargesheet with the media in Sivaganga, Akash’s mother, Ananthi (45), said: “At least now, the government should direct the CB-CID to immediately arrest all the policemen involved in my son’s death. What happened to my son should not happen to another child. He must get justice.”

Breaking into sobs, Ananthi recalled her son’s last words: ‘Amma, they beat me. It hurts. I told them not to beat me, but they didn’t stop. They broke my leg, Amma.’

The chargesheet states that after the assault, the policemen concealed the iron rod used in the incident and created a false version of how Akash sustained the injuries.

The main accused, inspector Dhilipan (39), recorded in the case diary that Akash had sustained injuries after jumping from a bridge near Manamadurai, according to the chargesheet. Hence, the police booked him under Sections 103, 201 and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), read with Section 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The other accused — sub-inspector K Guhan (35), grade-I constable S Kaleeshiwaran (37), driver constable P Mahendran (33), constable L Deivendran (38) and constable B Palaniyappan (40) — were booked under Sections 103 and 238 of the BNS, read with Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

‘There are more involved but CB-CID named only 6’

People Watch executive director Henry Tiphagne said Akash had clearly disclosed the alleged police atrocity in his dying declaration before a magistrate. “Had the police arrested the accused policemen immediately, the family would not have had to stage protests and refuse to receive his body,” he said.

“The CB-CID has not shared all the details of the chargesheet. We had complained against 16 people in connection with the murder. But only six have been named in the case. The police should take action against others too,” said M Lenin, coordinator of the Justice for Akash Delison Murder Campaign Group.

The CB-CID has stated in the chargesheet that a requisition letter has been sent to senior police officials seeking sanction for prosecution against the accused policemen.