The Madras High Court on Tuesday closed a suo motu case it had taken up to examine the circumstances which led to a person immolate himself inside the court campus. On October 11, the 49-year-old man set himself on fire because his children were denied Scheduled Tribe certificates. The court was convinced that the deceased belonged to a Scheduled Caste and not Scheduled Tribe.
Acting Chief Justice T. Raja and Justice D. Krishnakumar closed the write petition after recording the submissions made by Additional Advocate General J. Ravindran that the deceased identified as Velmurugan of Padappai in Kancheepuram district, belonged to Hindu Kuravar (SC) and not Hindu Malaikuravar (ST) community as claimed by him.
The court was also informed that there was no delay in dealing with his application for issuance of community certificates to his three children. The online application was made on September 20. A Revenue Inspector conducted a field inquiry on September 23 and a Revenue Divisional Officer rejected the application on September 26.
The applicant had not enclosed his community certificate as a supporting document. Instead, a certificate belonging to E. Elavarasan had been attached to the application by claiming him to be the paternal uncle of the children. However, on inquiry, it was found that Elavarasan had no blood relation with them.
Further, inquiry in the native village of the deceased at Udayarpalayam Taluk in Ariyalur district also revealed that he belonged only to Hindu Kuravar and not Hindu Malaikuravar community. Yet, the individual had taken the extreme step of taking his life inside the court campus, the AAG said.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)
