KOTTAYAM: Three members of a family, including a 17-year-old girl, were found dead at their residence in Velloor near Thalayolaparambu on Sunday morning. As per reports available from the police, the family committed suicide after the girl tested positive in a pregnancy test. While the parents were found hanging from the ceiling in their bedroom, the teenager had slit her veins.
The police arrested Jishnu Das, 20, an Irumbayam native, in connection with the incident.
According to police, the girl, a Plus-Two student, was in a relationship with Jishnu who lived in the neighbourhood. “They had developed a physical relationship over a course of time,” said Renjith K Viswanath, Velloor police station sub-inspector.
Later, when the girl complained of stomach ache, her parents took her to a hospital in Piravom. As per the advice of a doctor, they did a scanning test for the girl at a laboratory in Moovattupuzha, where they found out she was pregnant.
When she disclosed her relationship with Jishnu, the doctor informed the Moovattupuzha police, who in turn forwarded the case to the Velloor police station.
Based on the victim’s statement, the Velloor police had recently booked a case against Jishnu under various sections of the POCSO Act and IPC Section 376 (rape).
However, the police suspect that the family decided to commit suicide as they were unable to bear the mental trauma.
Earlier, the family had reportedly distanced themselves from relatives and neighbours two years ago, after their elder daughter married a man without their consent.