KOCHI: Residents of Ernakulam woke up to the shocking news about the death of four persons on Monday morning in two separate incidents, with at least one of them under mysterious circumstances. While a three-member family allegedly committed suicide in Puthuvype, a 19-year-old girl, an employee of a marketing firm involved in door-to-door sales of Ayurveda products, was found dead in her hostel room in Paravoor Kavala near Aluva.
The bodies of Subhashan, 52, of Anakkaran Veettil, wife Geetha, 48, and daughter Nayana, 23, were found hanging from the wooden frame of the asbestos ceiling of the house. On July 9, Subhashan had lodged a complaint with Njarakkal police stating that his daughter Nayana, a BTech graduate employed in Bengaluru, was missing. However, the girl returned to her house at Puthuvype on Saturday night.
There were allegations that the girl had an affair with a youth belonging to another community. According to the police, the news about the affair came as a shock to the family and this might have prompted them to take the extreme step. Njarakkal CI MK Murali said a suicide note was recovered from the house. “As per the suicide note, the trio jointly took the decision unable to bear the mental trauma,” he said.
The police have registered a case for unnatural death. According to the CI, the exact reason for suicide has not been ascertained yet. Nayana, who worked as a ground handling staff at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, reportedly fell in love with a youth who was working with her. Though Nayana tried to convince her parents about allowing their marriage, but they stood in the way of the relationship. Following this, she eloped with the youth and the duo was living together in Goa. When the police contacted her, the girl informed the officers on the matter. Later, Subhashan went to Goa and brought her back after convincing her.
According to local residents, the incident came to light after Subhashan’s brother, Suresh, arrived at the house around 8 am on Monday. The doors were locked from inside and there was no response to his calls. “As there was was no response from inside, Suresh grew suspicious and he called his friends. They broke open the front door and found the three hanging from the roof,” said Mini, Subhashan’s sister.
The bodies were shifted to Kalamassery Government Medical College Hospital for postmortem examination. Top police officials and a forensic team visited the spot. Subhashan was a daily wage labourer while Geetha worked as an insurance agent. According to relatives, the family had no financial worries. “The parents spent all their income on their daughter’s education. Subhashan was least bothered about renovating the small house with asbestos roofing,” said a neighbour who did not want to be named.
In the second incident, a 19-year-old marketing employee was found dead in a mysterious circumstance in her hostel room in Paravoor Kavala. Joisy, the deceased, is the daughter of Anthonipilla of Chittattumukku near Kazhakoottam in Thiruvananthapuram. She worked as a junior manager in the marketing company in Ernakulam.
“It was the hostel inmates who first found her body hanging inside her room on Sunday night and alerted the police,” said an officer. The inquest was completed and the body shifted to the Ernakulam Medical College mortuary. The body will be handed over to relatives after autopsy on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Joisy’s relatives alleged foul play over the death. “She called her father on Sunday and was very happy. She had been working with the marketing firm for the past 11 months. Though the body was hanging, her legs were found touching the floor. Hence, the relatives suspect foul play,” said an officer.
How tragedy unfolded
On July 9, Subhashan of Puthuvype lodged a complaint with the Njarakkal police stating that his daughter Nayana was missing.
Nayana, a BTech graduate employed in Bengaluru, was allegedly in love with youth with whom she had eloped to Goa after her parents stood in the way of the relationship.
Later, Nayana was brought back home from Goa by her father. She was later found hanging at her house along with her father and mother.
The bodies were shifted to Kalamassery Government Medical College Hospital for postmortem examination.