Special Articles Tamil Nadu

‘My son’s body had marks of physical torture’: Sivanadiyar Saravanan’s mother tells BJP Tamil Nadu’s Mahesh

August 26, 2020
The Commune

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.

Conflicting accounts from police and neighbours

Mahesh (popularly known as Salem Mahesh), who is an office bearer with the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP and known for his yeoman service, reached the spot on August 25 to get first-hand information about the unfortunate death of the Sadhu. He said that as soon as he entered the village two CB-CID officers started following him and his team.

The police had given their version of the event to Mr. Mahesh. They had questioned the conduct of the Sivanadiyar and went on to character assassinate him.

However, Mahesh says that his interaction with the neighbours gave a totally different picture.

Mahesh had interacted with Sivanadiyar Saravanan’s mother who told him that she saw marks of physical torture. She said that she saw marks behind his neck, shoulders, back, upper arms, and buttocks. He said that she was very clear that she saw stick marks on the mortal remains of Sivanadiyar Saravanan. However, the police who had showed him photos of the body had claimed that those marks were because of decomposition.

Another interesting point that had come out of Mahesh’s ground report was that the post-mortem was done on the spot. The body was not taken to the hospital for post-mortem.

The locals in the village and Sivanadiyar’s neighbours had very high regards for Sivanadiyar Saravanan. They mentioned that he was good man and just went about doing his work without disturbing anyone. They told him that they were disheartened when they heard the news of police beating him and his subsequent death.

When Mahesh had asked if the Sadhu was naked in a compromising position, the neighbours refuted it. “How can anyone be like that? The man has a family. There are ladies in his house. He has two children and one of them is a girl. Will any father with a daughter do like that?”, they had asked Mahesh. “Whatever allegations are being levelled against him are false!”, they categorically said.

The Indu Makkal Katchi too had conducted a field investigation. Its leader Arjun Sampath had interacted with the locals and neighbours. Neighbours’ accounts on Sivanadiyar Saravanan remains the same in both the case.