Bureaucrat who buried wife's body in house lawn broke rules

Ghaziabad authorities have ruled that a retired IAS officer who buried his wife's body in their residential premises here had breached the housing rules. The burial had sparked a huge row.

Ghaziabad Additional District Magistrate Preeti Jaiswal said the June 4 burial took place in violation of clause (4) of the sale deed executed by the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) in the name of Sheila Gaur, 66, wife of ex-officer Tulsi Gaur. 

GDA officials had earlier said they found no breach of law in what Tulsi Gaur did.

But when the GDA sent the file to Jaiswal, she found that clause (4) specifically states that house owners can only use the plot for residential and not religious purpose. 

"The burial of the body is a religious act, so it violates clause (4) of the sale deed," Jaiswal told IANS. 

Jaiswal had faced a tough time when angry residents of Indirapuram objected to the burial of Sheila Gaur in the lawn of the Gaurs' residential premises at Shakti Khand. 

The retired officer said he buried his wife as that was her wish. He told the protesting residents to move the court. The house was in the name of Sheila Gaur.

When some residents objected to the burial of a Hindu, Gaur cited the example of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa who was buried in Chennai. 

"I will send my inquiry report to the District Magistrate and to the GDA for further action," Jaiswal said.  - IANS