Madras HC orders exhumation, x-ray examination of murdered activist Jagaber Ali's body
Mariam, petitioner and wife of deceased Jagaber Ali, filed a petition seeking order to exhume her husband’s body and conduct a fresh post-mortem.
K Jagaber Ali (Thanthi TV)
CHENNAI: The Madurai bench of Madras High Court on Thursday directed to the Dean, Government Medical College Hospital, Pudukkottai to exhume the body of environmental activist Jagaber Ali, who was run over by a lorry in Tirumayam on Jan 17, and take X-rays.
Mariam, petitioner and wife of deceased Jagaber Ali, filed a petition seeking order to exhume her husband’s body and conduct a fresh post-mortem.
The petitioner contended that Jagaber Ali, an environmental Human Rights Defender (EHRD) and AIADMK functionary, was killed by the mining mafia by knocking him with a lorry on January 17. He was constantly raising voice against illegal mining activities, which according to him was causing a loss to the tune of Rs 840 crore to the state exchequer, in Tirumayam. On the fateful day, when Ali was returning from Kattubhava Mosque after prayers, a tipper lorry hit his two-wheeler and he was killed on the spot. Cops, who registered it as an accident, after investigations altered it to a case of murder.
During the probe, it also came to light that he constantly received death threats ever since he complained about illegal mining activities by RR Crusher, Punitha Arockya Mary Crusher, Eashwar Enterprises, RR M Sand Unit-1 and RR M Sand Unit-2 in the area. Despite complaints from Ali about the threats he received, the Inspector of Police, Tirumayam station, did not take any action.
Further, the petitioner claimed that the postmortem was conducted without following forensic protocols, including X-rays to identify fractures and other injuries, as required for a comprehensive autopsy. The postmortem certificate should have been provided in the NHRC format, which was also ignored.
In this regard, the petitioner submitted a representation on January 27 to the CB CID, but no action was taken. Though in the prayer, it’s requested for fresh post-mortem in the presence of a forensic expert, the counsel for the petitioner restricted his prayer to X-ray alone, but with an expert.
Agreeing to the request, Justice M. Nirmal Kumar allowed the petitioner's prayer for taking X-ray alone. The entire process should be completed without any delay. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ponamaravathy was directed to oversee the entire process.
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