High Court orders the exhumation of activist Jagaber Ali’s body for X-ray examination

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday directed the authorities to exhume the body of activist Jagaber Ali of Pudukkottai for an X-ray examination to be conducted at the burial site on Friday.

The court was hearing a petition filed by the family members of the activist who died after being run over by a tipper lorry in Thirumayam taluk in Pudukkottai district after he had exposed illegal mining operations. The activist, an AIADMK functionary, had allegedly received death threats after he had complained about illegal mining. On January 17, Jagaber was allegedly killed, and the incident was staged to appear as a road accident. But, it was a premeditated murder, the petitioner said. Despite lodging a complaint, the Thirumayam police only registered the FIR on January 18. The case was subsequently transferred to the CB-CID. Though the Pudukkottai Government Medical College Hospital was only 20 km away, the post-mortem was performed at the Thirumayam Government Hospital, which lacked facilities, the petitioner said and sought a re-post-mortem.

Justice M. Nirmal Kumar was informed by the State that the then Inspector of Police of Thirumayam police station was placed under suspension. The doctor who performed the post-mortem had obtained an undertaking from the family members of the activist. All external and internal injuries and fractures had been recorded, it was submitted. The court directed the authorities to exhume the body for X-ray examination to be conducted at the burial site on January 31.

The court directed the Dean of the Pudukkottai Government Medical College Hospital to provide all facilities including a mobile X-ray unit and that the entire process be videographed. The court also directed that the entire area be cordoned off, and the Ponnamaravathi Deputy Superintendent of Police to deploy adequate personnel to ensure that no one entered the place and took photographs.

The Assistant Director of Mines in Pudukottai district has been relieved from his post in connection with Jagaber’s death.

Sources in the Department of Geology and Mining said Assistant Director Lalitha had been kept on compulsory wait. Teams from the department had completed the field-level verifications at the stone quarry at Thulaiyanur in Tirumayam taluk where allegations of massive illegal quarrying were levelled by Jagaber Ali before his murder.

The inspections were carried out by deploying drones at the quarry to ascertain the quantum of minerals mined illegally. The teams were preparing a detailed report which would be forwarded to the State government soon, the sources added.