Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Sep 5 (PTI) The mortal remains of P P Mathayi, who was found dead in a well on his farm here hours after he was taken into custody by forest officials on July 28, was laid to rest on Saturday, following a re-postmortem by the CBI, which is probing the matter, police said.

The 41-year-old farmer's body was buried at the St Mary's Orthodox Church cemetery, 39 days after his death.

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The last rites were done after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the matter, conducted a re-postmortem on Saturday, police told PTI.

Sources said some wounds, which were not spotted in the first autopsy, were found in the re-postmortem done by the central agency.

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The Kerala High Court had on August 21 directed the CBI to take over the probe in the case registered in connection with the alleged custodial death of the farmer in Pathanamthitta district.

The court's direction came while disposing of a petition filed by Mathayi's wife Sheeba.

When the matter came up, the state government had submitted that it had no objection to handing over the case to the CBI.

Mathayi was found dead in a well on his farm in the district on July 28, hours after he was picked up by forest officials for questioning over the destruction of a camera set up by the department for animal-spotting.

In her plea in the high court, Sheeba had alleged that the investigation being carried out by the state police was not fair.

Alleging laxity on the part of the police in the investigation, she claimed that her husband was taken into custody by forest officials without complying with the mandatory procedure.

Two forest department officials were suspended early in August, pending an inquiry, in connection with the alleged custodial death.

The department had claimed that the camera was destroyed in order to cover up the dumping of waste from Mathayi's farmhouse.

Sheeba had earlier told the media that her husband was taken out of his home in Chittar, Pathanamthitta, by a few officials of the forest department and hours later, she and her two children were informed that Mathayi was found dead in a well on his farm located 10 km from his house.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)