A cadre member belonging to a fringe Tamil party, Naam Tamilar, succumbed to his burn injuries at a government hospital in Chennai on Friday after he set himself ablaze, while protesting against the Cauvery dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
21-year-old Vignesh from Mannargudi in Tiruvarur district doused himself with petrol and set himself ablaze during a protest rally held at Egmore on Thursday, to condemn the recent acts of violence against Tamils in Karnataka and demanding the implementation of the final order of the Cauvery Tribunal.
Vignesh, who sustained 93% burns was rushed to the Kilpauk Medical Hospital in Chennai on Thursday. He was on the ventilator and died following a cardiac arrest at 11:05am on Friday.
In a suicide note recovered from him, Vignesh mentions the imposition of Sanksrit in Tamil Nadu, the Cauvery dispute as well as the methane extraction project in the Cauvery basin among other issues.
On Wednesday, Vignesh had put up a Facebook post stating, "In tomorrow's rally there is a possibiity of a many suicide bids. I urge the media to telecast the rally live so that the channels can increase their TRPs. At least on seeing all of thus, let there be an uprising of the Tamil community. Let the student revolution begin in this land."
The protest was led by party chief Seeman and saw more than 500 people participate including Vignesh.
His death comes on the day Tamil Nadu is witnessing a state-wide bandh, called for by trade organisations, farmers outfits and several opposition parties. The bandh has been largely peaceful.