Madurai, Tamil Nadu: In a significant development, the Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench has ordered the exhumation and X-ray examination of body of Jagaber Ali, an activist who died under mysterious circumstances in Padukottai district.
Ali had reportedly been fighting a lone battle against alleged illegal mining in Pudukottai district. While initially, his death was cited as an accident, the court's latest decision to exhume the body and carry out X-ray came in response to a petition filed by the Ali's wife Maryam who alleged that it was a 'pre-planned murder' due to his activism against illegal quarries in the district.
Maryam had also claimed that her husband received death threats from people operating the quarries, as Ali's opposition caused significant revenue losses to the government.
Maryam, in her petition, further raised questions on the credibility of the initial police investigation, citing the delayed autopsy report, and the denial of their request for a video recording of the procedure. She also raised concerns over the inadequate evidence collected from the scene of the incident.
Seeking justice, Maryam requested the court to order a re-examination of her husband's body, including X-rays and CT scans, by a panel of forensic experts including one of their own, at the Pudukottai District Government Hospital.
During the hearing, the government's medical expert stated that the death was caused by bone fractures and internal injuries sustained after being run over by a lorry. The judge, on the other hand, questioned the necessity of an X-ray, hinting at possible political motivations behind the request. However, the petitioner's counsel argued that the X-ray would provide additional evidence and clarity on the cause of death.
While the government initially proposed conducting the X-ray at the burial site, the court ordered that the exhumation and X-ray examination must be done at the Pudukottai District Government Hospital, with strict confidentiality measures in place so that information is not leaked or misused.
The entire procedure would be conducted under the supervision of the Thirumayam Tehsildar and with police security, said court.
Strict Security In Place
The court laid out strict guidelines stating that no media or unauthorized persons would be allowed at the site. The court also prohibited personal photography. All X-ray and scanned materials will be kept confidential, and shared only for investigative purposes. The entire procedure shall be video-recorded and submitted to the investigating officer, the bench said, adding that officials should ensure that the process is completed as early as possible.
