Chennai: A laborer who set himself on fire in the Madras High Court premises in frustration over not being able to get a Scheduled Tribe (ST) caste certificate for his son after fighting for five years, has succumbed to his injuries.
Velmurugan (49) hails from Patappai in Kanchipuram district. A laborer, he is survived by his wife Chitra, a son in class 10 and 2 daughters.
In this case, Velmurugan, who came to the Chennai High Court premises the day before yesterday, suddenly poured petrol on his body and set himself on fire. The police who were on security duty there put out the fire and admitted him to Kilpakkam Government Hospital. He was given intensive care there. However, Velmurugan died yesterday morning without treatment. The Chennai Esplanade Police Station has registered a case and is investigating.
In this case, Velmurugan’s relatives protested yesterday at Kilpakkam government hospital, refusing to buy the body.
They said, “Velmurugan had applied for an ST caste certificate for his school-going son five years ago at the Sriperumbudur District Collector’s office.
But for the last 5 years, without issuing caste certificate, the authorities have been harassing Velmurugan. Due to this, Velmurugan, who was in agony, became depressed and committed suicide. We have been insisting that all members of the Kurwar community should be given a certificate of being a mountaineer.
The identity of Kurams of Tamil Nadu is completely destroyed as the caste certificate of Narikkurvar is given to the northerners who migrated to Tamil Nadu. Therefore, a uniform caste certificate should be issued to the hill community. The Tamil Nadu government should provide appropriate compensation to the family of the deceased Velmurugan. Also, his wife Chitra should be given government employment. Caste certificate should be given to his children. The government should bear the cost of his son’s education,” he said.
Spontaneous litigation
In this case, the Madras High Court has come forward and accepted the case for hearing.
Advocate S. Suryaprakasam appeared before High Court Judge SM Subramaniam and said, “A man belonging to the Narikkurvar community set himself on fire inside the High Court premises for caste certificate. What action is the government going to take in this regard? Has caste certificate been issued to the deceased’s son? Action should be taken against the concerned officials. Are they going to take it? The High Court itself should take up the case and investigate this incident,” he appealed.
Accepting it, Justice SM Subramaniam took up the case related to this incident himself.
Later, he said, “It cannot be seen as a normal thing if a person from the Narikuvar community who begged the authorities for his son’s caste certificate commits suicide by setting himself on fire inside the High Court premises out of disgust.
This court wants to know why the authorities refused to issue caste certificate to his son. Caste certificate is important to get all government welfare schemes. That being the case, why have the authorities waved him away? The Government of Tamil Nadu, Kanchipuram District Collector and Revenue Commissioner should file a report as to why he set himself on fire and committed suicide,” he ordered the High Court Registry Department to list the case before the in-charge Chief Justice.