T’puram: A 55-year-old man allegedly died by suicide after setting himself on fire on a pyre he had arranged behind his house at Paripally, Kollam on Monday.The deceased Hareendran Pillai ran a pooja store in the area. According to the police, the incident occurred around 11am. Pillai allegedly arranged a pyre in the rear portion of his property and jumped into it. No other family members were present at the house at the time.Neighbours noticed smoke rising from the property and rushed to the spot. By then, Pillai had suffered fatal burns. They alerted the police, following which a team from the Kilikkollur police station reached the spot.The police found puja materials near the body. Pillai’s shop had also remained closed since morning. Based on the materials found near the body and other preliminary evidence, police suspect that he may have performed a ritual before arranging the pyre and taking his own life. The exact circumstances, however, are yet to be established.Pillai was reportedly estranged from his wife and children, according to preliminary information. The body was shifted to Paripally MCH for autopsy. Paripally Police registered a case under the provisions relating to unnatural death and began a probe into the circumstances leading to the incident.
