Madurai: The death of 55-year-old temple archaka Paramasivam has come under scrutiny after his post-mortem report, made available on August 26, found evidence of cerebral oedema, or swelling of the brain, and intracranial haemorrhage, or bleeding inside the skull.
Paramasivam died after being hospitalised for a head injury following a dispute with neighbours over parking. His family has alleged that he was assaulted inside the Chintamani police station when he was taken for questioning over the dispute. Police have denied the allegation and said he suffered the head injury after falling from a staircase at his home.
The doctors who conducted the post-mortem have, however, deferred their final opinion on the cause of death.
The report states: “31cm long C-shaped surgical wound extending the right frontal and temporal regions of the head and skull measuring 15cm x 9cm had been removed as part of a surgical procedure. There was a swelling of the brain and bleeding in areas surrounding it.”
What happened to Paramasivam?
Paramasivam, a resident of Mela Anuppandi Housing Board, was picked up by personnel from Chintamani police station on 19 July.
According to his family, the incident began with an argument between Paramasivam and a neighbouring family over where vehicles were being parked. The dispute reportedly turned into a physical altercation. Paramasivam, who was a respected archaka and played a coordinating role among fellow archakas in the area, was among those involved.
Both families were taken to Government Rajaji Hospital and were subsequently booked and released on station bail. Paramasivam was later admitted to hospital for treatment of a head injury.
He eventually died on August 16, according to the family’s account.
Family alleges assault inside police station
Paramasivam’s wife, Ayyammal, alleged that police personnel from Chintamani station later returned to their home and took her husband again, saying he was required for an inquiry into the same parking dispute.
She alleged that Inspector Vijayabaskar stood by while Sub-Inspector Jayakumar, along with constables identified as Anand and Abdul Mohammed and one or two unidentified policemen, beat her husband inside the station.
"4 போலீஸ் அடிச்சாங்க…. நாங்க கண்ணால பார்த்தோம்' – பரமசிவனின் மனைவி, மகன் கண்ணீர் பேட்டி#Madurai #Death #Wife #News18Tamilnadu | https://t.co/rRJCTTegh9 pic.twitter.com/ZF3NiPXgq2
— News18 Tamil Nadu (@News18TamilNadu) August 18, 2026
The family further alleged that Paramasivam was kicked in the head while the policemen were wearing boots. According to the allegation, he collapsed and vomited inside the police station and was subsequently taken to Government Rajaji Hospital for treatment.
The family said there was no formal registration of a police complaint regarding the alleged assault and that Paramasivam was sent home shortly after receiving treatment.
Police deny custodial assault
Police have denied the family’s allegations and said there was “no custodial assault at all.”
According to the police version, Paramasivam was admitted to hospital on August 5 with a head injury after falling from a staircase at his home. Police said the case was dropped because he did not press for any inquiry and that he was discharged the next day after refusing surgery.
The family’s account differs. They said Paramasivam’s condition did not improve and that he was admitted again to Government Vellore Medical College Hospital, where he underwent surgery. He was later shifted to a private hospital, where doctors found blood clots in his brain, which the family said were consistent with a blunt-force head injury.
The family said Paramasivam underwent an emergency operation but died during treatment on August 15.
இறந்த உடலை வாங்க மறுப்பு
மதுரையில் காவல்துறை தாக்குதலில் பூசாரி உயி**ழப்பா? தானாக கீழே விழுந்து காயமடைந்ததாக அறிக்கை வெளியிட்ட காவல்துறை.. நடந்தது என்ன? pic.twitter.com/vcUeha2GMo— K.Ashok adv (@ashok777_kalam) August 18, 2026
Paramasivam’s video and family complaint
Before his death, a video of Paramasivam speaking from his hospital bed was circulated. In it, he can be heard alleging that he had been assaulted by police during questioning and appealing for accountability.
The family said the medical reports and the presence of blood clots in his brain raised questions about the police version of events.
Ayyammal subsequently filed a complaint with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s special cell, the Madurai district magistrate and the Madurai City police commissioner. In the complaint, she accused the police of causing her husband’s death and of attempting to hush up the case.
TN:
Family of Paramasivam who died allegedly after police assault submit petition at Madurai Collectorate seeking justice, govt job to a family member. pic.twitter.com/494GNdYLvg
— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) August 20, 2026
This is not just about the death of pujari Paramasivam; it is a serious test of police accountability. In Madurai, following a dispute with neighbours, the family alleges that Paramasivam was beaten during police action on [17] July.
His condition reportedly deteriorated… pic.twitter.com/Dr6qPTGYnY
— Aditya Kumar Trivedi (@adityasvlogs) August 19, 2026
The police said they did not have CCTV footage from the time Paramasivam was questioned. The family had sought the footage and alleged that its absence was “to avoid accountability in custodial injury cases”.
Madras High Court orders detailed inquiry
The family, refusing to accept a routine post-mortem, approached the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on 17 August.
Justice P Murugan ordered a detailed inquiry into Paramasivam’s death. The court directed that the post-mortem be conducted only in the presence of a judicial magistrate by a three-member panel of senior forensic medicine professors from government medical colleges in Madurai, Theni and Sivaganga.
The court also appointed advocate Ayiram Sivakumar as court commissioner. He was tasked with examining whether the CCTV cameras at the police station were functioning properly at the relevant time and whether any footage had been deleted.
Madurai District Judicial Magistrate V Lakshmipriya began the inquiry, and the autopsy was conducted at the Government Rajaji Hospital mortuary in her presence.
Political reaction
The Tamil Nadu BJP also raised the issue, questioning the state government’s handling of alleged custodial deaths.
விசாரணை என்ற பெயரில் அழைத்துச் சென்று பிணங்களாகத் திருப்பி அனுப்புவதுதான் 'மாற்றத்தின்' அடையாளமா? அதிகாரப் போதையில் ஆடும் காவல்துறையை அடக்கத் தவறிய முதல்வர் @TVKVijayHQ அவர்களே இந்தப் பலிகளுக்கு உங்கள் பதில் என்ன? pic.twitter.com/bHZyyB2ta4
— BJP Tamilnadu (@BJP4TamilNadu) August 20, 2026
Tamil Nadu BJP chief Nainar Nagendran, in a post on X, alleged that the TVK government had failed to condemn and contain continuing lock-up deaths and criticised Chief Minister Vijay over the issue.
காவல் நிலையங்களில் தொடரும் மரணங்கள்! கண்டிக்க மறுக்கும் தவெக அரசு!
மதுரை மாவட்டத்தில், வாகனம் நிறுத்துவது தொடர்பாக ஏற்பட்ட தகராறில் திரு. பரமசிவம் என்ற கோவில் பூசாரியை விசாரணை என்ற பெயரில் சிந்தாமணி காவல் நிலையத்திற்கு அழைத்து சென்று காவலர்கள் கொடூரமாகத் தாக்கியதில், தலையில்… pic.twitter.com/UEn79LfqJp
— Nainar Nagenthran (@NainarBJP) August 18, 2026
A separate Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) inquiry is under way, while Keeraithurai police have registered a case of suspicious death.
What the post-mortem establishes — and what remains unanswered
The post-mortem report records brain swelling and bleeding inside the skull, along with the surgical wound from the treatment Paramasivam underwent.
The central question of whether Paramasivam’s fatal head injuries were connected to the alleged assault during police questioning therefore remains subject to the ongoing inquiry.
