Tamil Nadu: Youth shoots video before consuming pesticide, accuses officer of asking for bribe to release PMAY funds

Manikandan’s father, Lenin, 48, a mason by profession, registered a complaint Thursday morning and told the police that his wife Latha was chosen as a beneficiary under the PMAY scheme and the family had received two installments of the assistance from the government.

Lenin further told the police that the officer had taken Rs 18,000 as bribe from Manikandan to release the first two installments and the officer had asked for an extra amount of Rs 5,000 to release the third installment.

According to Lenin, on the evening of May 10, Manikandan called his friend in Dubai and explained to him the chain of events before consuming pesticide. On receiving information, his family members reached a farm where Manikandan was found lying motionless. He was then rushed to a hospital in Karaikal. Around 09:45 pm, Manikandan was declared dead by the hospital.

The family urged the police to initiate strict action against the officer who caused mental agony to Manikandan by asking him repeatedly to pay the bribe and in turn forcing him die by suicide.

The Peralam Police have registered a case under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the IPC and are conducting further inquiry. Tiruvarur District Collector P Gayathri Krishnan said the overseer was suspended on May 12 and a departmental action has been initiated against him. Further, the collector said she has referred the case to the vigilance department for an investigation. The district administration has also sanctioned payments of the three installments to the beneficiary.

Meanwhile, BJP’s Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai took to Twitter and said he has visited the family of the deceased to pay his condolences. He added that he is heartbroken to see Manikandan’s family shattered.

The BJP leader had earlier posted the video shot by Manikandan before consuming the pesticide. Annamalai said that the ruling DMK government will pay a price for snatching away the dreams of the youths.

“DMK Govt will pay a price for taking the dreams and life of this youth. We will not let this Govt to remain deaf& dumb to common man’s sufferings and take many other lives (sic),” he tweeted.

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