KOCHI: Driven by love, a middle-aged man reportedly eloped with his lover, taking along with him cash and gold ornaments that had been saved up for his daughter’s wedding. Surendran (name changed), a resident of Vengola near Kunnathunadu, ran away with his lover, hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, just weeks before the wedding.
Acting on a complaint filed by the daughter, a Perumbavoor police team, led by inspector T M Soofi, tracked down Surendran and his lover to Thiruvananthapuram, a source with Ernakulam Rural police said. “Following a phone call with his daughter, Surendran agreed to be present at the wedding and perform the rituals. The complaint was then withdrawn, as both parties preferred to close the matter,” the officer added.
In the run-up to the wedding, Surendran, 50, brought home five sovereigns of gold and a substantial amount of cash, which he kept on a shelf in his room. A few days later, while the family was busy with preparations, his wife noticed the items missing. Choosing not to raise an alarm, she decided to first inform her husband. But, Surendran’s phone was switched off. She waited for him to return that night, but to no avail.
Sensing something amiss, she eventually alerted her daughter about the missing valuables. Moreover, the family awaited two more days for Surendran to return, but when he didn’t they approached police and lodged an oral complaint, an officer said.
“Though a formal complaint was received, we decided to handle the matter delicately and with caution, albeit swiftly,” said Soofi, station house officer. “Initially, we tried to contact Surendran by phone, which did not yield results. Later, we received a call from another number registered in the name of his lover,” Soofi said.
“We advised him to return home to his distressed family. As he was unrelenting, we requested him to at least visit his family or attend the wedding. He refused, saying he could not part with his new love,” Soofi said. “With the help of Thiruvananthapuram police, we managed to trace the couple. Subsequently, we contacted Surendran again, and during the conversation, his daughter pleaded with him to attend her wedding,” he added.
The investigation revealed that Surendran and his lover, who works in Canada, met over Facebook. Their friendship gradually deepened, eventually leading to a romantic relationship and plans for marriage. They later tied the knot at a temple in Tamil Nadu. The woman was also married, with her husband living in Canada. Surendran also has a younger son.