Sub Inspector gives decent send-off to unidentified bodies
Annamalai’s decent burial of unclaimed dead bodies merited recognition
Update: 2014-11-02 03:25 GMT
Chennai: There is a fine line that distinguishes an individual doing his duty and one offering his services beyond what his uniform warrants. N. Annamalai, sub inspector attached to the Chennai central railway police station, clearly falls under the latter category. On Saturday, Annamalai’s ‘unsolicited’ rendering of service to gather, assist in investigation and ensure a decent burial of unclaimed dead bodies found at the Central station, merited recognition in a judgement delivered by the Madras high court.
Sitting in the company of his inspector R. Purushothaman, Annamalai initially couldn’t find words when asked about his reaction to the HC’s appreciation. “I suppose I will just cherish this acknowledgement from the top court,” is what he could first manage. But the fact is that, so far, Annamalai and his fellow policemen at the railway station have helped in ensuring a decent send-off for about 4,000 dead persons.
Lauding SI Annamalai’s dedication, additional public prosecutor M. Maharaja says, “He has been doing this for 15 years. It is a perfect example of a humanitarian deed and going beyond one’s duty. Not only does he take the trouble to find out details, including religion, of the unclaimed bodies, he even pays for their last rites.”But the man himself stays humble and reiterates that his service is nothing. “Nobody is an orphan in this world and that’s the truth,” he says.