The family of S. Sabari Varman, a 35-year-old man who died in judicial custody, has refused to receive his body until the authenticity of the post-mortem report is verified. This decision was communicated to Ministers S.
Rajesh Kumar and Srinath, who met the family to offer financial assistance on Thursday, July 16, 2026. The Ministers were accompanied by Kanniyakumari District Collector M. Prathap and Superintendent of Police R.
Stalin. The family has requested a second opinion on the autopsy report and has sent the video footage to People’s Watch, a human rights NGO, for review by a doctor. Sabari Varman’s sister stated that if the report is verified as genuine, she will accept the body immediately.
However, until then, the family will not receive the body. According to Henri Tiphagne, a human rights activist with People’s Watch, the autopsy footage was handed over to the family around 7 p.m. on Thursday. The footage, which is typically in multiple segments, will be compiled into a single video and analyzed by forensic experts.
The analysis is expected to be completed by Friday, July 17.
