Drama unfolds over CPI(M) leader M M Lawrence's mortal remains amid family dispute

Thiruvananthapuram: Dramatic scenes were witnessed over the mortal remains of veteran CPM leader M M Lawrence at the Ernakulam town hall in Kerala on Monday.

While Lawrance's sons wanted to handover the body to Kochi medical college hospital for study purposes, his daughter objected to it and even moved the High Court.

The HC directed the medical college principal to take a decision considering the norms. Attempts by Lawrence's daughter and her son to block the body from being taken to the medical college had led to tension.

The mortal remains of CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury who died on September 12 was handed over to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences by his family.

Lawrence, who was a former CPM central committee member, died on Saturday at the age of 95.

His son M L Sajeevan conveyed to the CPM leadership that Lawrence had expressed a wish to handover his mortal remains for medical studies. Based on that arrangements were being made to handover the body to the Kochi medical college on Monday.

But Lawrence's daughter Asha objected to it stating that her father never expressed such a wish. She approached the Kerala HC citing that there was no written consent of Lawrence in this regard. She also said that her father had been following all Christian rituals in the family and was also a parish member. His wife's funeral was also performed at church, she said.

The HC subsequently directed the anatomy department to take a decision on the matter considering the norms and provision in the Anatomy Act. The court also directed that the body shall be kept at the medical college till a decision was taken.

As the body was being shifted to the medical college, Asha and her son tried to block it. It has led to tension as CPM workers, including women, tried to resist the move. Later the police used force and shifted the body to medical college.

While Asha alleged that her brothers were trying to please the CPM leadership, there are also allegations that Asha's son's proximity with BJP was the reason for the row.