THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The inquest on Saturday revealed bruises of assault on the body of Induja, the newlywed tribal woman, who was found dead under mysterious circumstances in her husband’s house in Elavattom near Palode. Induja, a tribal woman, had an inter-caste marriage with Abhijith. The police on Saturday took Abhijith into custody in connection with the incident.
The inquest was conducted at Nedumangad District Hospital under the supervision of Tahsildar Saji S. The body was then shifted to the Medical College Hospital for further examination. Her father, Sasidharan Kaani accused both Abhijith and his mother of involvement in her death and has demanded that murder charges be filed against him.
Induja’s family has alleged that she faced mental harassment and threats from her husband and his mother. They claimed that she was not allowed to visit them after her marriage and that she had repeatedly expressed her concerns during phone calls.
The couple had registered their marriage three months ago. Her family alleged that Abhijith’s mother was against inter-caste marriage. Induja, who belonged to an Adivasi community, had been in a relationship with Abhijith for two years. Three months ago, they eloped and got married. Abhijith shared poor relations with Induja's family, but she used to stay in touch with her mother and brother over the phone.
According to the complaint, Induja had visited her parental home with visible marks of assault on her face two weeks before her death. Her family also alleged that Abhijith’s family failed to inform them about the incident.
Her brother Shinu also claimed that Abhijith prevented Induja from visiting her family after their marriage. Induja had confided in her family that there were problems at her husband’s house.
"We told her to share the issue so we could resolve it, but she never disclosed what it was. From the way she spoke, we could tell it was something serious. When we asked if she was being assaulted, she lied," said Shinu.
Induja had told that her injuries were caused by a fall while boarding a bus.
"She would tell us if there were any serious problems. It’s only been four months since she left home. There is something wrong with Abhijith’s family. I suspect them. My sister is strong enough to overcome bigger challenges so there’s no way she would commit suicide," Shinu told media.
Induja, a native of Idinjar near Palode, was found hanging from the window on the first floor of the house. The police said the incident came to light around 1.30 pm. Her husband, Abhijith found the body when he came home for lunch. At the time of the incident, only his grandmother was present at the house. Induja worked at a private lab, while Abhijith was employed at a private vehicle company.