Ominous Fame? Kalam Fan Who Went Viral for Decorating His Statue Killed by Jealous Acquaintance
Police said the man, identified as Shivadasan, was found dead in Marine Drive in Kochi around which he used to live on the streets. He used to regularly clean and decorate with flowers a bust of the former President on a daily basis.
Social media fame can be a fleeting thing but in a shocking instance, a homeless man from Kochi who recently went viral on social media for regularly cleaning and decorating a statue of late President APJ Abdul Kalam was murdered by another pavement dweller over the former’s new found popularity on social media platforms.
Police said the man, identified as Shivadasan, was found dead in Marine Drive in Kochi around which he used to live on the streets. He used to regularly clean and decorate with flowers a bust of the former President on a daily basis, a News Minute report said.
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Shivadasan’s video had catapulted him to instant fame when his act went viral. A report in India Times said a carpenter by profession, Shivadasan originally hailed from Kollam district and had come down to Kochi a few years ago. An ardent admirer of Kalam, he had met the former President several years ago who had given Sivadasan Rs 500 when he came down to Kerala. He had then started collection and selling of scrap to eke out a living.
Local police on December 16 had found Sivadasan’s dead body, on the same stretch where he used to live, namely the Abdul Kalam Marg (Marine Drive walkway). The cops first thought that the 63-year-old could have died of natural causes but a post-mortem revealed that he has internal injuries, prompting them to start a probe into his death. A fellow pavement dweller named Rajesh was arrested for Sivadasan’s murder. Police said the former had reportedly thrashed Sivadasan out of jealousy because he had grown much popular due to his video. The duo allegedly knew each other.
Police also reportedly spoke to locals who said they saw Rajesh thrashing Sivadasan for two days before his death. Rajesh was brought by the cops on the spot of Sivadasan’s death to ascertain his version of events and find evidence.
Sivadsan had said in his viral video that he met Abdul Kalam twice during his visit to Kerala, once in Kollam and the other time in Thiruvananthapuram. Kalam had given Sivadasan Rs 500 at one time and the scarp dealer, in a bid to express his gratitude used to decorate the bust daily with flowers and had even planted some saplings around it.
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