Lekha was a victim of domestic violence for years

Vaishnavi had told her classmates of the abuse she and her mother had to face at the hands of her grandmother.

MARAYAMUTTOM (THIRUVANANTHAPURAM): Lekha, who committed suicide at Malaikkada in Marayamuttom on Tuesday, had been a victim of repeated abuse from her mother-in-law for a long time, said neighbours.

She had reportedly attempted suicide twice before due to this. In her suicide note also, Lekha alleged she was starved and abused by her husband and mother-in-law. She also cited the involvement of a self-styled godman in giving advice to her mother-in-law in the note.

Vaishnavi had told her classmates of the abuse she and her mother had to face at the hands of her grandmother.  

Kala, a neighbour, said: “Lekha lived a subdued life. She never talked to many people or stayed outside for long. Her life was for her daughter and when I heard the news, I doubted the cause.“But, even the locals were supporting her husband and his mother the other day believing the bank debt story.

“She attempted suicide twice after repeated verbal abuse from her mother-in-law. Chandran never used to question his mother’s inhuman treatment of Lekha. I remember a time when all her clothes were burned outside the house by her husband.”