A tragic incident in Madurai on December 18 sent shockwaves across Tamil Nadu amid the ongoing legal and political standoff over the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam lamp atop Thiruparankundram Hill, after Poorna Chandran (40), a part-time fruit seller, died by self-immolation in an alleged act of protest against the State government’s refusal to permit the ritual despite court orders.
Before taking the extreme step, he is said to have posted three to four short audio messages, explaining his reasons. The Thallakulam Police registered a case and have begun an investigation. His body was later sent for post-mortem.
Audio messages and stated reasons:
In one of the audio clips, Poorna Chandran could be heard saying that he was ending his life before the statue of EVR, who had said “there is no God”, and that he hoped his sacrifice would pave the way for the Deepam to be lit next year.
In another message, he said: “Thiruparankundram is the first of the six abodes of Bhagwan Murugan. It is fitting and a matter of pride for Madurai to light the lamp atop the stone pillar. None will be affected by this. There is a dargah, and the Deepa Thoon is located 15 metres from it.”
He stated that the High Court had ordered the lighting of the lamp at the ancient stone pillar, but that the government was preventing devotees from doing so. He added that when the lamp is lit, crores of people would be able to see it and receive Bhagwan Murugan’s blessings.
Poorna Chandran asserted that lighting the lamp would cause no harm to Muslims or the dargah and alleged that devotees were being prevented due to vote-bank politics. He said that everyone in his home were DMK supporters, but as a Hindu he could not accept the government’s stand on the issue.
He also referred to the court’s direction to allow lighting of the lamp with CRPF protection, which he said was not implemented. He questioned why the HR&CE Department had not approached the court, adding that if the Islamic dargah had faced a similar issue, the Waqf Board would have moved the court.
In his final message, he said: “I am doing this for the sake of God. After the 2026 Assembly election, the next government should do the right thing. I convey my regrets to my family. I felt bad that a religious act could not be done in the spiritual bhoomi of Madurai. It is my agony. I am ending my life. None can be held responsible for my death.”
In another clip, he said he had initially planned to end his life at Thiruparankundram but chose the area near the EVR statue so as not to affect the sanctity of the temple. He ended his recording chanting ‘Muruganukku Arohara, Vetrivel Muruganukku Arohara’.
According to reports, around 4 pm on December 18, Poorna Chandran, a resident of the Narimedu Marudhu Pandiyar area, arrived in his goods vehicle at an empty police booth near the Madurai Corporation office. After locking the doors, he allegedly set himself ablaze after pouring petrol.
Speaking to the media, his brother Ramadurai said: “My brother’s name is Poorna Chandran. We live in the Narimedu area of Madurai. He left home in the morning for work on his vehicle. In the evening, people from the station called and informed me that he had set himself ablaze.”
He said members of the public, after noticing smoke, fire, and hearing screams from the booth, alerted the fire and rescue services. However, before they could arrive, Poorna Chandran succumbed to his burn injuries.
Ramadurai added that his brother had sent a voice message to a friend, which was later forwarded to him, stating that he was self-immolating because the Deepam was not being allowed to be lit at Thiruparankundram. He also said that Poorna Chandran had never expressed such thoughts earlier.
Reacting strongly to this tragic incident, Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagenthiran accused the DMK government of religious hatred, stating that it had “burnt a Tamil instead of lighting the fire at the Deepa Thoon”.
He said, “I have no words of solace to offer the family of the one who became a victim of the DMK government’s futile obstinacy. The DMK government did not honour the order of the High Court. Poorna Chandran became a victim of the DMK government’s adamance to prove its political animosity and religious bigotry. We have been fighting for ages to restore the religious rights of Tamils, and despite a thousand obstacles, we will continue to fight. With a clear vision, with principles that no one on earth should fear, and with the support of virtue, we will stand hand in hand in the field of struggle.”
At the same time, Nagenthiran stressed that suicide is never a solution to any difficulty. “Every living thing created in this world is priceless. I humbly request everyone to work together to prevent such tragedies from happening again. Suicide is not the solution to any issue. We should face problems boldly. Every life is precious, and such extreme steps should not be taken in the future. Let us all join together to fight issues in the right way,” he said, praying that the soul of Poorna Chandran rests in peace in the light of Bhagwan Murugan.
திமுக அரசின் மதவெறியால் தீபத்தூணிற்கு பதிலாகத் தீப்பிடித்து எரியும் தமிழர்கள்!
திருப்பரங்குன்ற தீபத்தூணில் கார்த்திகை தீபமேற்ற உயர்நீதிமன்றமே உத்தரவிட்ட பிறகும் கூட, தங்கள் அரசியல் காழ்ப்புணர்ச்சிக்காகத் திமுக அரசு அதை செயல்படுத்த மறுத்ததைக் கண்டித்து, மதுரை நரிமேடு பகுதியைச்… pic.twitter.com/LPgvRmdOuN
— Nainar Nagenthran (@NainarBJP) December 18, 2025
Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, in a post on X, said that the deceased, identified as Thiru Poorna Chandran, was a devotee of Bhagwan Murugan who was distressed over the State government’s refusal to permit lighting of the sacred lamp on the Deepa Thoon at Thiruparankundram Hill.
He expressed condolences to the family and appealed to devotees to remain calm, urging faith in the judiciary and cautioning against extreme actions. He said the incident occurred amid an ongoing legal and political standoff over the Karthigai Deepam ritual.
In a subsequent statement, Annamalai said he was profoundly saddened by the incident and reiterated his appeal to devotees to exercise patience and repose faith in the judiciary.
Legal background
The Madras High Court had earlier, on December 1, passed orders allowing the lighting of the lamp. However, the ruling DMK government challenged the decision, citing administrative and law-and-order concerns.
The issue escalated further after an impeachment motion notice was moved against Justice G R Swaminathan, who had delivered key observations in the case. The DMK and its INDI alliance partners also pursued appeals against his orders.
BJP youth wing leader SG Surya, in a tweet, alleged that the government’s stubborn approach and defiance of the High Court ruling had led to the tragic death. He appealed to workers and devotees not to be swayed by emotion and to pursue the issue through legal means.
Hindu Munnani, VHP and other Sangh-inspired organisations also condoled Poorna Chandran’s death, urging devotees not to take extreme steps and to continue the fight through lawful and democratic means, reiterating their faith in the judiciary.
Hindus immerse themselves in their dharmic rituals with heart and soul, but when they are denied their rightful duties, they confront such injustices with strength and collective resolve as a society and fight back to retain their rights through courageous struggle. However, at times, some individual devotees become uncertain about how to express their resistance, and such situations can push some towards tragic decisions.
