Chennai:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today appointed a one-man commission to be headed by retired judge Justice S R Singaravelu to find out the truth in Ilavarasan's death. The Dalit man, who married a girl from the Vanniyar community, was found dead last week near a railway track in Dharmapuri in western Tamil Nadu.
"Social activists, political parties and individuals have been expressing various views (on the death). Ilavarasan's father has also expressed doubts over his son's death. Therefore, to probe the truth behind Ilavarasan's death, I have ordered an inquiry commission under Justice S R Singaravelu," the chief minister said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Madras High Court today is also set to look into the petition filed by the family of Ilavarasan seeking a second autopsy on his body. The first report had revealed the 21-year-old died of a head injury. He was found dead near a railway track on Thursday near his village in western Tamil Nadu.
Suspecting foul play, Ilavarasan's family moved the court seeking clarity on whether it was a suicide or murder. The Madras High Court on Friday ordered the Tamil Nadu government to preserve Ilavarasan's body till Tuesday.
The deceased Dalit man had married Divya from the Vanniyar community in August last year. Weeks after they eloped, Divya's father committed suicide.
After his death, nearly 200 huts owned by Dalits in and around Ilavasaran's village of Dharmapuri were set on fire. Parties with a strong Dalit votebank blamed Divya's community for the riots, and said the violence was backed by the PMK, headed by S Ramadoss and openly committed to preventing inter-caste marriages.
Ilavasaran's mother holds the PMK responsible for her son's death while the party has denied any links to the tragedy.