Indirapuram: Retired IAS officer buries wife’s body in vacant plot, cites her ‘last wish’

Ghaziabad district administration officials are in a fix about the situation and have decided to seek legal opinion on the issue as residents have also filed objections.

A retired IAS officer allegedly buried his wife’s body in a vacant plot in Indirapuram, leading to objections by local residents. Police officials said he told them he was fulfilling his wife’s last wish as she wanted to be buried there.

The police and administrative officials have deputed police at a residential locality in Indirapuram where a retired IAS officer allegedly buried his wife at a vacant plot on Sunday. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

Residents of Shakti Khand 2 in Indirapuram found about the alleged burial on Sunday evening and gathered at the plot owned by retired IAS officer Tulsi Gaur. Police said Gaur buried his wife, Sheela Gaur, at a vacant area in the plot, purportedly in accordance with her last wish. Police and administrative officials also reached the site, but remained puzzled.

“Residents objected to the (alleged) burial activity and have given us their objections in writing. We have assured that a status quo will be maintained and an inquiry will be set up over the objections. We asked Gaur and he said it was done as per the last wish of his wife who died of an ailment at a hospital in Delhi. We will also check with the hospital in the inquiry,” said Priti Jaiswal, additional district magistrate (city).

“So far, we have ordered a police contingent to remain at the plot where the alleged burial took place. Gaur told us there are two plots, one of which is in his wife’s name. He maintains that he is legally right in fulfilling his wife’s last wish, but it being a residential area, locals have objected to it and raised apprehensions,” Jaiswal added.

Officials were also in a fix about the situation and have decided to seek legal opinion on the issue.

They said Gaur was ready to speak to the residents and maintained that he was legally right in approach and if the residents have an objection they should approach the civil court.

“Around 300-400 residents gathered at the spot when they came to know about the burial. This should not be done in residential area. When the police arrived, they asked us about any law that prohibits such activities,” said Kishan Chaudhary, a local resident.

By Sunday night, officials had returned from the spot, but had deputed police force at the site to avoid any untoward incident. Residents repeatedly told officials to remove the body, but officials said it cannot be done without a court order.