THOOTHUKUDI:Former Rajya Sabha MP N Rajendran was found dead inside his car in Kovilpatti on Wednesday evening. The incident came to light when passersby noticed a car parked on the service road on NH7 near the Kovilpatti bus stand and on a closer look found Rajendran dead with a revolver by his side.
Immediately they informed Kovilpatti West Police, who rushed to the spot and broke the car window and sent the body to the Kovilpatti GH.
Sources said that he is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. After taking a sabbatical from active politics he was running a marriage hall, a bus service and was seen as rich.
The sources added that trouble brewed in one of his daughter’s in-laws house and he had suffered a business loss recently due to his son.
Due to this there was a lot of tension in his house for the past one week and apparently there was no Deepavali celebrations despite all members of the family being present under the same roof. Sources said that he last spoke to his assistant Ganesan at 5.20 pm and in a casual tone told him he would go alone in his car and a few minutes later was found dead.
The police have ruled out foul play and claim it to be a clear case of suicide. Speaking to Express, SP Ashwin Kotnis said that by investigating the bullet injury it can be concluded that it was a well-planned suicide. He pulled the trigger on his right temple and the bullet came out from the left, said the Superintendent of Police.
Superintendent of Police Kotnis added that preliminary investigation suggests some family dispute and also that he was suffering from prostate problems, which his doctor confirmed.
Rajendran served as the AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP between 1995 to 2001 and later joined DMK, where he served as the district treasurer. Later, he distanced himself from politics.