IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 04.12.2025 CORAM :

THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE N. SATHISH KUMAR M.Murugesan ... Petitioner Vs.

1.The District Collector, Dharmapuri District, Dharmapuri.

2.The Superintendent of Police, Superintendent of Police Office, Dharmapuri.

3.The District Revenue Officer, District Revenue Office, Dharmapuri. ... Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents 1 to 3 to consider the representation of the petitioner dated 08.05.2025 and to take appropriate action to prevent burials in the petitioner’s land situated in Survey No.514, Sigaralahalli Village, Pennagaram Taluk, Dharmapuri District.

For Petitioner : Mr.T.Ramkumar For R1 and R3 : Mr.D.Gopal Government Advocate For R2 : Mr.L.Baskaran Government Advocate (Crl. Side)

O R D E R

The petitioner seeks a direction to the respondents 1 to 3 to consider the representation of the petitioner dated 08.05.2025 and to take appropriate action to prevent burials in the petitioner’s land situated in Survey No.514, Sigaralahalli Village, Pennagaram Taluk, Dharmapuri District.

2.It is the case of the petitioner that the land in S.No.514, Sikaralahalli Village, Pennagaram Taluk, Dharmapuri District, originally belonged to the petitioner’s father Muniyagounder, who died on 14.04.2014, leaving behind the petitioner and ten others as legal heirs. When the matter stood thus, on 30.04.2025, two villagers namely Mathaiyan and Lakshmanan unlawfully trespassed into the petitioner’s land and attempted to bury the dead body of their father in the petitioner’s land. Despite such objections, the body had been buried. In this regard, the petitioner immediately lodged a complaint before the Police. The petitioner has also made a representation in this regard to the respondents on 08.05.2025, requesting them to prevent any unauthorised burial in the petitioner’s land. Since no action was taken on the representation submitted by the petitioner, the present writ petition has been filed by the petitioner.

3.Learned Government Advocate appearing on behalf of the respondents 1 to 3, on instructions, would submit that the land in S.No.514 belongs to the petitioner’s family and in the Village, a separate area has been notified as burial ground in S.No.428 in Sigaralahalli Village. From the A-Register enclosed along with the written instructions issued by the Tahsildar, Pennagaram Taluk, it is clear that the land in S.No.514 is a private land. The learned Government Advocate would further submit that the villagers have given an undertaking that, hereafter, they will not bury any dead body in the private land. The said statement is also recorded.

4.Since it is established that the subject land in S.No.514 is a private land and separate burial ground is also notified in S.No.428, no further burial can be permitted in the private land and henceforth, burial of dead bodies should be made only in the designated place notified in S.No.428. Therefore, the respondents shall ensure that no burial is permitted hereafter in the private land belonging to the petitioner’s family.

5.With these directions, this writ petition is disposed of. No costs.

04.12.2025 mkn Internet : Yes Index : Yes / No Speaking order : Yes / No Neutral Citation : Yes / No To

1.The District Collector, Dharmapuri District, Dharmapuri.

2.The Superintendent of Police, Superintendent of Police Office, Dharmapuri.

3.The District Revenue Officer, District Revenue Office, Dharmapuri.

N. SATHISH KUMAR, J.

mkn

04.12.2025