07-Jul-2024 12:39 PM
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Chennai, July 7 (Reporter) The Madras High Court on Sunday suggested that the
body of slain BSP Tamil Nadu Unit President K Armstrong could be buried
in any of the three places identified by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).
Hearing an urgent plea filed by his wife Ms Porkodi seeking permission to
bury the body at the BSP party office in Perambur, Ms Justice V Bhavani
Subbaroyan said since the place was thickly populated and located in a
narrow stretch, his body could be buried in three alternative sites identified
by the GCC as a large number of people could be present.
It then could be shifted to a better location with proper approach roads, the
Judge said, in a special sitting on a writ petition seeking permission for
burying Armstrong’s body in the party office premises and raise a tomb
over there.
The judge said, it may not be possible to allow the burial within the party
office premises since it was located in a residential area with a narrow
approach road and that party office land was only around 2,400 sqft in
which a superstructure was already in existence.
On the petitioner's contention that the civic authorities had allowed the
burial of actor-politician and DMDK Founder Vijayakanth's body at his
party office, Additional Advocate General J. Ravindran said, it was a
very large extent of land.
“We have a heart but our hands are tied,” Mr Ravindran said.
The GCC Commissioner had passed an order refusing permission to
bury the body of Armstrong on BSP party premises since it was a
thickly populated residential area with a narrow approach road.
The AAG, however, said, the State government had identified three
other alternative places where the body could be buried and one of
them, spread over 2,000 sqft, was just 1.5 km away from the place
where the petitioner intends to bury the body.
Since many of Armstrong’s followers may gather to pay respects to
him, a situation such as the Hathras stampede should not end up
happening here too. Therefore, it was advisable to bury the body
in a proper location, the Judge noted.
The judge said the petitioner could accept the government’s proposal
and bury the body in any one of the alternative locations for the present
and then shift the body to some other better location after purchasing
a good property with proper approach roads.
The Judge later adjourned the plea till noon to enable the petitioner's
counsel to get instructions...////...