A Sri Lankan refugee at a camp in Uchapatti in Madurai allegedly committed suicide on Sunday after his request to not mark his hospitalised son as "absent" during an inspection were turned down by an official.

48-year-old Raveendran requested a retired Revenue Inspector, who had gone there to take a roll call, that his son has been hospitalised and not be marked "absent" as he would not be able to get refugee rations for him, the officials said.

Despite his plea and producing the medical chit as proof, the official allegedly marked his son 'absent', they said.

Raveendran then climbed a nearby high tension tower and electrocuted himself by touching a wire, they said, adding the other refugees then allegedly thrashed the retired official.

A police team led by Superintendent of Police P Vijayendra rushed to the spot. He held an initial inquiry into the incident and managed to rescue the official, officials said.

The refugees later staged a demonstration, demanding action against official responsible for the suicide of the man.

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