Amidst chanting of slogans of ‘blue salute’ and ‘Jai Jai Jai Bhim’, the mortal remains of Jeevanantham Muthukrishnan, a student of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), who allegedly committed suicide in New Delhi on Monday, was laid to rest in the Shevvapet burial ground in the city on Thursday afternoon.
Muthukrishnan’s body, which arrived at the Chennai airport from New Delhi on Wednesday midnight, was brought here by an ambulance.
Jeevanantham, father of Muthukrishnan, other relatives and Vijay Amirtharaj, leader of the Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association of the JNU, accompanied the body from New Delhi. Heart-rending scenes were witnessed at Muthukrishnan’s residence in Arisipalayam area. Alamelu, mother of Muthukrishnan, his three sisters, relatives and friends present in good numbers broke down on seeing the mortal remains of Muthukrishnan.
District Collector V. Sampath and V. Panneerselvam, AIADMK MP, visited the residence of Muthukrishnan immediately when the body arrived and paid homage.
Mr. Sampath handed over a cheque of Rs. three lakh, solatium sanctioned by the State government, to his parents.
Leaders of parties — former Minister T. M. Selvaganapathi, Veerapandi A. Raja (DMK), former Union Minister K. V. Thangkabalu (Congress), former MP P. Lingam (CPI), Vanniyarasu, State deputy general secretary of the VCK, Kolathur Mani (Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam), Deepa, State treasurer of the DYFI, U. K. Sivaraman, State joint secretary of the Untouchability Eradication Front, V. Mariappan, State president of SFI, representatives of Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, Popular Front of India, SDPI and others paid their last respects.
A stream of local people made a beeline to have the last glimpse of Muthukrishnan.
CBI probe sought
At a condolence meeting, speakers demanded a CBI probe, a solatium of Rs. one crore to the bereaved family, government jobs for all his three sisters, besides steps to put an end to caste-based discrimination in central universities.
