Date:26/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/26/stories/2008092659000300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Family tries to commit suicide near Secretariat

Special Correspondent

It was a protest against delay in issuing death certificate

CHENNAI. A family of eight allegedly attempted to commit self-immolation in front of the Secretariat here on Thursday. Police intervened in time and prevented them from taking the extreme step. The incident created flutter in the area for sometime.

According to police sources, K. Maniandan (19), a first-year student in a private engineering college in Salem, committed suicide by consuming poison on April 7. A case was registered against a girl studying in the same college and her father for forcing the youth to commit suicide.

K. Chinnammal (45), mother of Manikandan, approached the local Village Administrative Officer for death certificate. Despite providing relevant documents, there was undue delay in issuing the certificate. After giving a deadline to the VAO, Chinnammal, her three daughters and other family members, came to Chennai on Thursday.

They went to the Secretariat with kerosene bottles and attempted to commit suicide.

However, police intervened and moved them to safety. After some counselling, they were taken to the Chief Minister’s cell from where instructions were given to the district authorities in Salem to issue the death certificate at the earliest.