MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, on Thursday, granted three days special leave to two suspected Maoists, Kala and Chandra, to attend the cremation of slain Maoist Manivasagam at Salem on Thursday.
A bench comprising Justices S Vaidyanathan and N Anand Venkatesh passed the order after it was informed that the body of Manivasagam, one of the Maoists killed in the police encounter at Agali forest in Kerala on October 29, was brought to his native place in Salem on Wednesday evening.
Kala, who is the wife of the deceased and Chandra, his sister, were ordered to be released from the prison immediately so that the funeral can be conducted on Thursday itself since it was told that the body was in a highly decomposed state.
Further directions were given to Superintendent of Police of Salem district to identify a regular burial ground for the deceased Maoist and also ensure that the funeral is completed in a peaceful manner.
Kala and Chandra have been allowed to stay only in the house of one Lakshmi, another sister of Manivasagam and not to leave the house, except to attend the funeral, which they are permitted to do only with police escort. They, as well as other family members of the slain Maoist, have been restrained from giving interviews to any media. The judges also directed the police to make sure that the two women do not have access to mobile phones or social media during these three days.
The duo was told to surrender before the Superintendent of Prisons, Tiruchy, on November 17 at 5.30 pm. The directions came in response to a petition filed by one Anbarasan, a relative of Manivasagam. The petition has been adjourned to November 18 for reporting compliance.