‘Dead’ Ambur man returns after 25 yrs, fights to annul death certificate

AMBUR: A man presumed dead and for whom a death certificate was issued returned to his native village near Ambur after 25 years and is now reportedly fighting a ten-month-long battle to get the official declaration of his death annulled.

Sriramulu of Chinna Malayambattu village, who was working in a leather company near Ambur as a mechanic deserted his family in 1996 unable to repay the mounting debt of his family, according to Vittal Nathan his brother.

Though family members searched for Sriramulu in various places, they could not trace him. His wife Savithri, concerned over the future of her two sons, applied for and got a death certificate in the name of Sriramulu from the Ambur Municipality in 2003.

She submitted the death certificate to the company where her husband worked and got the settlement amount with which she repaid the debts. “She also raised her two sons and settled them in life through her efforts,” Vittal Nathan said.

In April 2022, the family was shocked when Sriramulu suddenly walked into the village. After an initial outburst of emotions, Savithri accepted Sriramulu and life was progressing smoothly for the couple, locals said.

Asked where his brother had been all these years, Vittal Nathan said, “Sriramulu told us that he travelled by train to various places, including Chennai, and worked in places wherever he got jobs. His last stint was in a hotel where he overheard some customers talking about Ambur. This sparked memories of his native place and made his return home.”

Though his reunion was a happy moment, trouble started at this point for Sriramulu as he had to struggle to annul his death certificate. Though he approached various revenue officials, including the tahsildar and the Collector, there was no solution.

Collector D Baskara Pandian said, “Lack of awareness was the reason why the death certificate was issued. The relatives should have lodged a police complaint, which was not done. However, I have instructed the Vaniyambadi RDO to bring Sriramulu to the DRO at Tirupattur where his death certificate can be annulled.”