Labourer commits suicide near Ripon Buildings

The body, later identified as that of Sikkuru Sikthar of Assam, was found in a decomposed state in an unused toilet — Photo: K. Pichumani

A labourer from Assam allegedly committed suicide in a toilet on the premises of Ripon Buildings.

Visitors to Ripon Buildings gathered in large numbers on Monday near the Ripon Buildings annexe after the news of the finding of a decomposed body spread. The body of the 40-year-old person was spotted by conservancy labourers of the Chennai Corporation on Monday morning inside an unused toilet on the first floor of a building near the annexe of Ripon Buildings.

The door of the toilet was not locked as it was damaged. The conservancy labourers alerted the security due to the stench emanating from the toilet and the body was spotted inside.

Police identified the deceased as Sikkuru Sikthar (40) later in the evening based on information collected using a phone number retrieved from the body.

The police also collected information on Sikthar from his wife Usha and his three children. According to preliminary investigations, the person had come to Chennai a week ago on the compulsion of family members. He is likely to have committed suicide on Friday, police said.

The decomposed body was wrapped in a bag and transported to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for post mortem. The stench of the body was found to be unbearable while it was being taken out of the premises.

The buildings department officials of the civic body said they received information on a decomposed body at 9.30 a.m. Even though Ripon Building premises are maintained by the buildings department of the Chennai Corporation, the building where the person committed suicide was maintained by the Royapuram zonal officials. So the security personnel of the civic body had failed to take note of a stranger entering the building, said an official.