MYSURU: In a tragic incident, a nomad carried the body of his wife in a plastic gunny bag as he could not afford transportation nor had the money to conduct her last rites in Yalandur taluk of Chamrajnagar district.
The nomad couple from Kagepura in Malavalli, Mandya taluk, who were living in abject poverty worked as rag pickers in the region. Ravi and his wife Kalamma (26) came to Kanatanahalli in Yalandur and were collecting waste plastic for their livelihood. They were living in an abandoned house on the national highway. On Tuesday night, Kalamma fell sick and passed away.
Ravi, who found her dead, was not able to borrow money as he was new to the place. He had no choice but to empty a gunny bag which had plastic waste, put the body inside it and carried it on his shoulders to perform the last rites at Suvaranavathi tank bed.
Veerabadranayaka, a shopkeeper, alerted the local police when he was passing through the spot. The villagers suspected that Ravi might have killed his wife and wanted to hide the body. The Yalandur police rushed to the spot only to realise the sad unfolding of events. The autopsy of Kalamma was conducted at the District Hospital. The police are now questioning Ravi.
Yalandur Town Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Mallesh and PSI Kari Basappa arranged earth movers to carry out the funeral at a burial ground near Karipura in the presence of policemen.