'Climb Electric Pole, Die', Officer Allegedly Told Lankan Refugee. He Did.

Chennai: Moments after he was allegedly told by an officer to 'climb an electric pole and die,' a Sri Lankan refugee at a camp in Tamil Nadu did exactly that.

Ravindran, 48, had reportedly requested a revenue officer at a refugee camp in Madurai not to mark his hospitalized son absent, as it would mean losing out on the day's share of food.

The officer allegedly marked his son absent anyway, ignoring Ravindran's request and a medical slip that he showed as proof that his son was in hospital.

Witnesses allege that the officer, who had come to the camp for an inspection, told Ravindran during the argument to "climb the electric pole and die".

Ravindran allegedly touched a high tension electricity cable and was killed within seconds.

After Ravindran's death, angry residents surrounded the officer, who had to be rescued by the police. Others at the camp protested for hours, demanding action against the officer for allegedly driving Ravindran to suicide.

Senior police officer Vijayendra Bidari said: "Only after a post-mortem can we confirm how the man died."

Ravindran was a daily wage labourer who had come to India 26 years ago as a refugee.