Madras High Court Directs Postmortem in Madurai Self-Immolation Death
The Madras High Court has issued a significant directive in a tragic case from Madurai, ordering the dean of Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) to conduct a postmortem on the body of a man who died after setting himself on fire in front of the Subramaniyapuram police station. The incident, which occurred on March 26, stemmed from an alleged civil dispute between the deceased, P Narayanan, and his brother, Sivamarkandan, who is reportedly a DMK functionary.
Background of the Case and Allegations
According to the petitioner, Bhuvaneshwari, who is Narayanan's wife, the dispute escalated when Sivamarkandan and his family members visited their home and physically assaulted Narayanan, causing injuries. Bhuvaneshwari claims that when Narayanan attempted to file a police complaint, officers at the Subramaniyapuram station demanded a bribe to register the case. After he refused to pay, the police allegedly began harassing the family, which she asserts drove her husband to take the extreme step of self-immolation on March 26. Narayanan succumbed to his injuries at GRH two days later, on March 28.
In his dying declaration, Narayanan cited the harassment by Sivamarkandan's family and the conduct of the police as the primary reasons for his suicide. Consequently, Bhuvaneshwari moved the court seeking a thorough investigation by agencies such as the CBI, CB-CID, or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into her husband's death. She also requested that the postmortem be videographed and that compensation be provided to the family.
Court Proceedings and State's Submission
During the hearing, the state government submitted that both a case and a countercase had been registered in connection with the dispute. It was noted that Narayanan, aggrieved by the situation, poured kerosene on himself on the police station premises. A constable reportedly rushed to intervene and attempted to secure him, but also suffered burn injuries in the process. The state maintained that the police acted in accordance with the law throughout the incident.
Justice B Pugalendhi of the Madras High Court observed that despite Narayanan's death on March 28, a postmortem had not been conducted due to objections raised by the petitioner. To ensure a fair investigation and address the petitioner's apprehensions, the judge directed the GRH dean to nominate two doctors to conduct the postmortem as expeditiously as possible, preferably on the same day, Thursday. The entire procedure must be videographed, and the doctors are instructed to specifically check for any missing teeth or other injuries on the deceased's body.
Court Directives and Future Hearing
The judge further ordered that the postmortem certificate be submitted to the court and directed the police to produce all files related to the case and countercase. Earlier in the proceedings, the court had instructed the petitioner to file an affidavit agreeing to receive and cremate the body once a proper postmortem was ensured, to which she consented. The case has been scheduled for further hearing on April 15, pending the completion of the postmortem and review of the evidence.
This directive underscores the court's commitment to transparency and justice in cases involving alleged police misconduct and civil disputes, aiming to provide closure for the grieving family while ensuring a meticulous investigation into the circumstances surrounding Narayanan's death.
