Sivanadiyar Saravanan who was thrashed and shamed in front of his children and villagers by Sub-Inspector Anthony Michael of Thevoor police station, reportedly committed suicide on August 15 (Saturday) not able to bear the humiliation meted out to him.
Saravanan hails from Kundangal Kaadu near Puliyampatti village in Salem district. An ardent devotee of Lord Shiva he made his living by offering occult services like tying amulets, etc and also by performing rituals and poojas.
On August 14, Sub Inspector Anthony Michael had come from Thevoor Police Station to Sivanadiyar Saravanan’s home reportedly after receiving a complaint that alleged the latter of creating nuisance. He was thrashed and beaten up in front his children by SI Anthony Michael. Feeling traumatized and humiliated, Saravanan had not spoken a word for the rest of the day.
The next day he left the home only to never return. He had recorded a video on a cell phone before committing suicide accusing SI Anthony Michael saying that he alone was responsible for his death.
“For this extreme step of mine, nobody else is responsible other than Anthony Michael. Don’t think you can do all you want with the power you have. Somehow, this video will reach to the people. My soul will not leave you. You and your family cannot escape from my curse. I say this invoking the Sivan I worship. Father (Lord Shiva).. I am coming to you now. Siva Siva! Nama Sivaya!”, Sivanadiyar Saravanan in his suicide note said.
Indu Makkal Katchi’s ground report
Ten days after the death of the Hindu tantrik, members of the Indu Makkal Katchi led by the party leader Arjun Sampath went to the spot to get first-hand information.
They had visited the Sivanadiyar’s home , the place (a pit) where Sivanadiyar sat and performed occult practices and poojas, and also the spot where he died. Rudraksha malas and other ritualistic materials had been kept near the pit.
One of the neighbours had told that Sivanadiyar and his family just went about with their normal lives. “I am not too close to them. But they just went about their lives. People used to come for tying amulets, driving away spirits from possessed people, and other esoteric rituals. He has two children.”, the old lady said.
Another resident says that Sivanadiyar can always be found meditating in the pit or offering occult services to those who come to him. “When he is in the pit he always wears a ‘komanam’ (loin cloth). On that day too he had been in the pit and performing rituals to a woman. That time SI Michael had come and threatened him that such kind of activities cannot be done. He was beaten then and there. 5 days later his body was recovered from the adjacent bushes.”
To the question on how he committed suicide, the resident said that he does not know for sure and that he himself is privy to the information about the death only through the video which suggests that he consumed poison.
Later, Mr. Arjun Sampath along with members of the Indu Makkal Katchi and another saint went to the Salem Collectorate to submit a petition seeking proper CB-CID investigation and proper action against the culprit and also asked for providing relief for the family. They also informed that a lot of defamatory information has been doing the rounds about the Sivanadiyar which needs to be addressed.
Speaking on the matter, Arjun Sampath said that based on the field investigation done by Indu Makkal Katchi, it has come to light that Sivanadiyar Saravanan’s house was on the way to a Christian prayer hall that was 1-1.5 kms away from the home. He says that Sivanadiyar Saravanan remained an obstacle to the conversion efforts by Christian missionaries in the area based on the information obtained from speaking to the son and others. He also said that occult practices and esoteric rituals are common in Tamil Nadu villages and that people refuted the allegations levelled on Sivanadiyar Saravanan. He asked on the basis of what complaint did SI Anthony Michael come and take action. He also posed questions on what action has been taken by the police on the video statement of the Sadhu. He expressed concerns saying that while public, media, political parties and others voiced out the police brutality meted out to Jeyaraj and Bennicks in Thoothukudi, nobody except Hindu organizations have been voicing out on this matter. He has pressed for CB-CID investigation and also an investigation if there are religious conversion forces behind the death of the Sadhu.
Indu Makkal Katchi is now filing a case seeking action.