NHRC serves notice on State to explain Tirunelveli family’s self-immolation

Taking suo moto cognizance of the tragic self-immolation of a Tirunelveli family at the District Collectorate on Monday morning, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has served a notice on Govt. of Tamil Nadu to send a detailed report on the much-reported tragedy.

Isakumuthu and his wife Subbulakshmi, caught in the vortex of usurious lending and finding no help from the police to end their misery, self-immolated themselves and by pouring kerosene on their bodies and setting themselves on fire; the couple did the same to their 5-year old daughter Saranya and 2-year old Akahsya Pranitha. In a heart-rending scene, all of them suffered more than 80% burns.

Onlookers poured sand and attempted to save them but except Isakkumuthu, the woman and her two daughters died after getting admitted to the Hospital. The immolation of a family of labourer has sent shock waves not only in the State but across the country, bringing to the fore the evil practice of usurious lending which is still spread across the State albeit in an unofficial manner.

The disturbing video of burning bodies of the family shook the hearts of even the toughest of the toughest. In the meantime, taking cognizance of the incident via newspaper and television reports, the NHRC has issued a notice to the Govt. of Tamil Nadu asking the chief-secretary, DGP and the Tirunelveli Superintendent of Police to explain within four weeks the reasons for the family’s tragic decision to end their lives.