A retired chief engineer was found dead in his house in Padmanabhanagar on Monday. Police and his former colleagues are trying to trace his relatives so that his last rites can be performed.
K R Jayaram was chief engineer with Tata Consulting Engineers in Bengaluru before he retired 18 years ago. Police are trying to understand the circumstances of his death.
Jayaram died about 10 days ago, and his wife, who is in a state of shock, stayed by his side without telling anyone. She is unable to explain anything, and the death came to light after neighbours complained of a foul smell emanating from the house, a former colleague told Metrolife.
The Banashankari police are trying to locate the couple’s relatives, and have also contacted Jayaram’s former colleagues. The couple had lost their daughter recently, and that death had affected them badly.
Ananthachar Dharmavaram, a colleague from Jayaram’s TCE days, says the couple hadn’t kept in touch with anyone from that office.
“What I understand from the neighbours is that the family was aloof and had cut itself off from society. Since no one is able to trace any of his relatives, I, as his colleague, am making an attempt through social media to get through to his relatives,” he says,
Ananthachar says he had the “utmost respect” for Jayaram.
“I hope someone from his side comes forward and we give him a decent farewell from this world,” he says.
CK Ravindranathan, another colleague, says, “Jayaram was 10 years senior to me. We knew very little about his personal life. All we knew was he had a daughter who was studying dentistry.”
Ravindranathan remembers Jayaram always insisted on proper written English.
“Whenever we wrote something, he would start correcting it. I understand that six months ago, it was again the neighbours who found out that his daughter had passed away. He was not in touch with any of his extended family members,” he added.
If only Jayaram had opened up to his friends or former colleagues, they would have helped him get counselling or therapy, says Ravindranath.
Investigation status
Janardhan, sub inspector, Banashankari police station, says Jaya Ram must have been dead at least for 10 days. “We went there after we were alerted by the neighbours,” he told Metrolife.
Jaya Ram’s wife Vijayalakshmi is unstable, he says. She cooked and ate all 10 days without realising he was dead, says Janardhan. “We are investigating the case. We will know more in the next few days,” he said.