Daijiworld Media Network - Madurai
Madurai, Dec 18: A 40-year-old man died after setting himself on fire in Madurai on Thursday evening in an incident police suspect to be suicide linked to the ongoing controversy over lighting a deepam on a pillar at the Thiruparankundram hilltop.
The deceased has been identified as Poornachandran, an MBA graduate and pharmaceutical sales representative from Narimedu. He also operated a small delivery vehicle selling fruits. Police said Poornachandran parked his vehicle near the Madurai Corporation office, opposite a statue of social reformer Periyar, before entering a nearby police outpost.
According to investigators, Poornachandran locked himself inside the booth around 3.30 pm and immolated himself. Local residents alerted fire services after noticing flames and hearing screams. Firefighters rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire, but the man succumbed to his injuries. His body has been sent to Government Rajaji Hospital for postmortem.
“We believe it is a case of suicide. An investigation is underway,” a senior police officer said. Police recovered a mobile phone and are examining an audio recording that some of the deceased’s friends claim to have received.
In the audio, which could not be independently verified, a male voice is heard criticising the ruling DMK over the alleged non-implementation of a Madras High Court order permitting the lighting of a deepam on a pillar near a dargah on Thiruparankundram hill.
While the court had allowed the lighting of the lamp at the disputed pillar in addition to existing locations, the temple administration has continued the practice only near the Uchipillayar temple, citing century-old tradition and Agama customs.
Police said Poornachandran had earlier associations with Hindu Munnani and the BJP around three years ago, though the extent of his current political involvement is being verified.
The incident comes as legal proceedings continue, with the Tamil Nadu government and temple authorities filing an appeal against the single judge order. The Wakf Board has claimed ownership of the pillar, while police have maintained that enforcing the order could affect public peace.
Reacting to the incident, BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai appealed for restraint and urged people to trust the judiciary. A DMK spokesperson, however, said the death was the result of “destructive politics and fake propaganda,” adding that the government has ensured continuation of long-standing temple traditions.