IDUKKI: In an bizarre incident, an elderly farmer ended himself by setting ablaze his own pyre at the compound of his residence at Pooppara here in the wee hours of Saturday.
Vijayan, 64, of Vattathotiyil House at Pooppara near Santhanpara, was identified as the deceased. He had been reportedly collecting fire woods for the past two months and whenever his near and dear ones enquired why he was doing so, he used to say he was gathering them before it starts raining.
On Friday, when his wife and son's family returned after attending a temple festival, he forcefully sent them to a relative's house.
It was after being informed by their neighbours, who spotted embers and bones on Saturday morning in their courtyard, the family returned home. On their search, they found cans of petrol and kerosene and pooja items near the pyre.
The Santhanpara police recovered a three-paged suicide note in which Vijayan had written that nobody was responsible for his death and his was a journey to attain ‘moksha.' The note also comprised two ‘keerthanas' on Lord Ayyappa and Sree Narayana Guru.
The suicide note dated 15th of last month also explained how the pyre was set up and the last rites that he had done for himself.
It was suspected that he had chained himself to the pyre so as to avoid escape from the death. The stored water in his house was drained fully and the water outlets in the neighbourhood were also damaged as he had mentioned in the note.
Vijayan, who had been visiting various temples for the past three months, had also mentioned in the note that his death was the decision of God.
The police who had taken an accidental death case told ‘Express' that Vijayan was upset as his wife Shyamala was not keeping well and he also had some financial issues.
Vijayan is survived by wife and children Rajesh, Ratheesh and Bindu.