After kin's refusal, Vellore police perform last rites of man who burnt married lover to death

VELLORE: The Vellore North police conducted the last rites of a murder accused G Ramesh on Wednesday after his family refused to receive his body.

"We dug up a pit and buried his body in the graveyard on the banks of the Palar river. The rituals were performed in accordance with the Hindu tradition," said police constable N Yuvraj, who performed the last rites.

Ramesh (48), a bachelor, was living at Mullipalayam in Vellore as he was in a relationship with Thilagavathi (38). Thilagavathi was married with two daughters. They knew each other from childhood as they were both natives of Gudiyatham.

The two used to meet each other in secret and the affair went on for years. But recently, Thilagavathi decided to end the affair as she was overcome by guilt, police said.

Unable to accept it, Ramesh used to pick up arguments with her, and on September 23, during one such occasion, Ramesh poured petrol over Thilagavathi and set her ablaze. Thilagavathi, while ablaze, held Ramesh in a tight embrace. He, however, managed to escape from her hold and fled.

Thilagavathi, who sustained 95 per cent burn injuries, died the same day, while Ramesh who sustained 50 per cent burns was admitted to Government Vellore Medical College Hospital in Adukkamparai.

He, however, succumbed to his burns and was declared dead on October 21, police said.

The police had filed a murder case against Ramesh under IPC section 302.

A senior police officer said that though information of his death was passed on to his family in Gudiyatham, they refused to receive his body. "We held talks with his family members with village heads as mediators, but they did not want his body," the cop said.

Since none of his relatives came forward, we did the last rites following procedures, the police officer said.