Tamil Nadu: Relatives stage overnight protest as man dies in judicial custody

S Sabari Varman, an undertrial prisoner, died in a sub-jail in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, on July 13, 2026.

A postmortem report showed 19 injuries on Varman's body, leading to the arrest of three prison staff including a chief warden.

Relatives staged an overnight protest at Government Medical College Hospital, Asaripallam, demanding a second autopsy and an independent probe.

Opposition DMK MP Kanimozhi criticized the TVK government and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for not providing an explanation or relief.

Police arrested eight co-inmates for assaulting Varman in his cell, and prison staff allegedly beat him after intervening.