ERODE/SALEM: Former Registrar of Periyar University in Salem, K Angamuthu (58), one of the 10 candidates shortlisted for appointment as Vice Chancellor, committed suicide on Monday at his house in Thoppupalayam, near Perundurai, in Erode district, according to the police.
The Periyar University Vice Chancellor Search Committee had called him for personal interaction on Saturday. Angamuthu, who had served as Registrar from 2012 to 2015, had joined the university in 2004 as Director of Physical Education. After 2015, he resumed duty as Director of Physical Education. He had retired six months ago.
Sources said there were some charges of malpractices against Angamuthu, relating to various appointments in the university. The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) had investigated them. One and a half months ago, the syndicate had discussed the allegations and asked Angamuthu to submit the files regarding the appointments.While Angamuthu claimed that he had given them to the Controller of Examinations (COE), the COE said they were not in his office. Files regarding ‘consolidated workers’ in the university were also found missing.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the present Registrar, M Manivannan, lodged a complaint with the Salem City police about the missing files, according to City Police Commissioner K Shankar.However, when Express contacted Manivannan, he denied lodging such a complaint. According to Commissioner Shankar, the petition, in which Manivannan had said that Angamuthu had not submitted the files, was filed on Saturday evening.“Due to Governor’s visit to the city, we planned to begin the investigation on the petition on Tuesday. But we already have started it,” the Commissioner added.
According to the Erode police, the deceased Angamuthu was staying in his own house in Thoppupalayam, but used to visit Salem regularly. On Monday, he had left for Salem around 9 am, after his wife, Vijayalakshmi (56), headmistress of the Thoppupalaym Government High School, left for work.
But after some time, he returned home and later in the day neighbours found the doors of the house open and informed others. The public found Angamuthu in an unconscious condition and took him to the Perundurai Government Hospital, where he was given first aid. He was then taken to the Dhanvantri Critical Care Center, Erode. However, he died on the way at 3.10 pm.According to the Erode police, Angamuthu had consumed poisonous tablets, which are normally used to against pests in turmeric and grain godowns. The body was later taken to the Perundurai GH for an autopsy.