Senior DMK party man sets himself on fire protesting against 'Hindi imposition'

Though the party workers and public tried to save him, Thangavel died on the spot, police said

A senior DMK cadre on Saturday died of self-immolation near the party office in Thazhaiyur near Mettur in nearby Salem District.

He took the extreme step to show his protest against 'Hindi imposition', police said. Thangavel (85), a former DMK farmers' wing functionary arrived at the party office this morning. He raised slogans against 'Hindi imposition' and allegedly poured kerosene on his body, set himself on fire with the help of a matchstick. Though the party workers and public tried to save him, Thangavel died on the spot, they said.

Police recovered a paper addressing the Central Government which read "there is no need for imposing Hindi when Tamil language is here."

Expressing grief over the incident, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said he was saddened to hear about the tragic demise of Thangavel. "I am deeply saddened to know that former union in-charge of DMK's farmers' wing Thangavel immolated himself protesting against Hindi imposition," he said in a tweet.