Kin Cry Foul, Claim Cops Putting Pressure to Bur

CHENNAI: The kin of a Tamil Ayyappa devotee, D Santhavelu (39), who succumbed to burns at the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital on Sunday, after allegedly being scalded by boiling water in Kerala, claimed that the police were pressuring them to bury the body immediately.Santhavelu, a plumber, of Thiruverkadu, was part of an 80-member group that left for Sabarimala under Chandragurusamy on January 6. Two days later, his wife Chitra received a call, saying her husband was admitted with burns at a government hospital in Kottayam. On reaching there, she found that he had been severely scalded. He allegedly told her that he had a tiff with some people at a teashop at Pamba and one of them threw boiling water on him. While his group abandoned him, two Tamil pilgrims admitted him at the GH. Chitra brought him to KMCH on January 11, where he succumbed on Sunday. His kin lodged a complaint against Chandragurusamy. After autopsy, his body was handed over to his family on Monday. On Tuesday, his relatives claimed that a police contingent comprising 10-15 vehicles and around 100 personnel descended on his house at Thiruvenkadam Nagar, where the body is kept, and pressured them to bury the body the same day itself. Left activist Sekar said the police feared that there would be tension if the body was kept longer. The burial is planned for Wednesday, he added.Kerala Govt Clarifies Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s office has clarified that the death was accidental. As per a statement, the incident occurred at a shop at Karimala on January 9, when boiled water fell on the victim after a firestone (Choolah) collapsed. He was trying to get his wet currency dried there. He was rushed to a medical aid post by shopkeepers and then to the PHC at Pamba. The same day, he was taken to the hospital in Kottayam as he suffered 42 per cent burns.  He got discharged on Jan 10 at the insistence of his brother, despite a warning given by Dr Jacob Thomas of the hospital. His brother had also given a written undertaking, it added.