KOCHI: A family’s desperate struggle for survival has ended in a tragedy that has left people in shock and raised troubling questions. As police continue to search for an eight-year-old girl missing after the bodies of her parents and younger brother were recovered from near the Muvattupuzha river. Uncertainty continues to drive the circumstances that drove the family to such an end.
The body of Narayanan, 45, who had been reported missing after the bodies of his wife and two-year-old son were recovered from the Mulakulam Bridge, was found on Saturday during a search operation by the fire and rescue services. The search for the couple’s daughter, a Class II student, is still under way.
Police suspect that the incident could be a case of collective suicide, allegedly driven by severe financial distress. The disappearance of the elder child has added a layer of mystery to the incident.
The tragedy came to light on Friday afternoon when the body of the two-year-old was recovered from the river, followed shortly by the body of Bijimol, 42. Search operations were subsequently intensified for Narayanan and their daughter.
According to police, Bijimol, who was visually impaired, lived with her husband and their two children under extremely difficult circumstances. The family reportedly survived by seeking financial assistance from devotees visiting places of worship.
Their financial hardship had recently worsened, forcing them to vacate the rented house where they had been staying. The family then approached the Kothamangalam police, seeking help.
Moved by their plight, police personnel, led by the station house officer, collected money among themselves and purchased clothes and other essential items for the family. Police had also arranged temporary accommodation for them and helped identify another rented house in Nellikkuzhi, where the family was expected to move within a week.
Investigators have also obtained CCTV footage showing all four family members having a meal together at a hotel near the Piravom Post Office Junction shortly before the incident.Narayanan’s body was eventually found at Attutheeram Kadavu during the rescue operation.
Despite the previous state government’s assertion last year that extreme poverty had been largely eradicated, this tragedy serves as a grim reminder that many families continue to struggle on the margins.
Had to vacate house
According to police, Bijimol, who was visually impaired, lived with her husband and their two children under extremely difficult circumstances
Their financial hardship had recently worsened, forcing them to vacate the rented house they had been staying