"I was treated literally like an unpaid domestic help," 29-year-old Rema (name changed) finds it hard to hide a sob, as she narrates her painful ordeal.
"I was made to do everything that his (her husband's) house maid is supposed to do. He used to sleep with her. He never listened to me. I would make food for the entire family, but was myself never given enough food. I was completely lonely and isolated," she said.
"After a year, I suggested divorce, but they refused. I wasn't given my phone to contact my family. But I stood firm, saying that I would inform others in the neighbourhood. Only then was I handed my phone," she added.
Wayanad-native Rema, who belongs to the Paniya tribe, went to her husband's house with high hopes after they got married in 2022. Her husband, who belonged to the Hindu Thiyya community, was initially friendly, but started to hate her later.
"They would not let me go to my house, and were not keen on entertaining my family at their place. When my younger sister called on me for two days, she understood my situation. Even when I fell ill, they accused me of hoaxing it," she adds. Rema, who has studied only till class 6, however didn't give up.
"All my certificates are with them. Now I need to somehow get back my documents. Only then can I stand on my own feet," she says.
Rema is one of the few lucky tribal girls still alive after being ill-treated at her husband's home.
Marriages and love relations from outside the community, though widely promoted by the authorities, often prove costly for tribals in the state.
Induja, a 25-year-old woman from the Kani tribe in the state capital who had opted for an out-of-the -community relation, gave in to suicide by death on December 6, after being allegedly caught in a vicious circle of domestic abuse and harassment.
Three more suicides followed in the next three days: 20-year-old Ajith of Idinjar on December 7, 19-year-old Namitha of Elavattom on December 8 and 30-year-old Vishnu of Alummoodu on December 9.
Four tribal suicides over four consecutive days - all youngsters aged below 30 - serves as a pertinent pointer to the alarming increase in suicides at tribal settlements in Thiruvananthapuram. Often, tribal suicides are not mere suicides, but are multi-dimensional issues interspersed with matters related to mixed marriages, land-grabbing and deep-rooted traditions.
23 suicides in 2024 alone
As per the data collected by tribal promoters under the state government, 23 suicides - among them, five young girls - were reported in tribal settlements in the state capital in 2024 alone. After TNIE brought out this startling fact last week, the National Human Rights Commission intervened and sought a report from the state chief secretary and the state police chief.
The complaint and FIR filed at the Palode station in the Induja case shed more light into the incident. As per the complaint filed by Sunil Kumar, brother of Induja's father Sasidharan Kani, Abhijith's family was not keen on Induja's relatives visiting his house, or Induja visiting her house. According to Sasidharan Kani, the husband's family used to often indulge in casteist slurs against the girl.
"Induja and her husband Abhijith studied together. She liked him and that's how they started living together four months ago. Though she didn't share anything with us, we understood our daughter was suffering. His family didn't entertain us in their house. Only now have we come to know that they hadn't registered the marriage," said Induja's father Sasidharan Kani.
"My child was murdered. We need justice. No other family should go through what we underwent," he added.
Going by families and tribal activists, tremendous stress due to extreme social scenarios, coupled with pressure and harassment due to marriages and relations outside the community, alongside burgeoning liquor rackets contribute to suicides.
String of tribal suicides in Kerala capital
It's not the first time tribal suicides in the Kerala capital has drawn national attention. After a seeming lull, a string of suicides has now come back to haunt tribal settlements on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram. A closer look at this disturbing trend reveals that it's just the tip of the iceberg.
As per data collected by the Adivasi Mahasabha, as many as 119 tribal suicides were reported in settlements in the state capital since 2015 to 2023. Another 15 suicides remain unaccounted for, due to lack of details. About 16 tribal deaths were reported from eight settlements in Peringammala panchayat, from 2006-17. Of these, ten are in the 20-40 age group. This includes 17-year-old Veenakrishna of Kurupinkala and 18-year-old G Akhila of Konnamood.
The issue - of tribal suicides - had made it to the state assembly once. Going by the data that had come up in the assembly in August 2017, 45 tribal deaths were reported under Palode police station limits from 2012-17. Of these, 43 were deaths by hanging. Even though the government had, at the time, assured that it would take a serious look at the issue, such unnatural deaths continue unabated.
"Going by our data, 138 tribals, including 26 women, took the extreme step in the past one decade. There are different reasons, including increasing influence of liquor and sex rackets. That there are no proper follow-up measures to tackle criminal elements behind these deaths, contribute to the rising figures," said Mohanan Triveni, president of the Adivasi Mahasabha. In 2023, five suicide deaths were reported. He says the number of deaths in the last two years are much higher.
Even as there are significant attempts being made to promote the integration of tribals with mainstream society, and promote marriages with those from outside the community, the Mahasabha feels such marriages could pose major challenges to their very existence.
"Our kids go outside for studies and employment, mingle with outsiders, fall in love with those from other communities, get married or live together, end up facing inexplicable harassment and end up resorting to extreme steps. The youngsters who lure our kids, go on to share personal details with others, and our children are often blackmailed with compromising photographs and videos. The girls fall into the trap, from where there is no comeback," Triveni said. Only strict legal action against perpetrators of such crimes can act as a deterrent, he pointed out.
Lure of mixed marriages and land grab viz-a-viz FRA
The concept of mixed marriage has, to a large extent, failed to work in tribal areas of Kerala. Unfortunately enough.
Tribal activists affirm that at a time when the state government promotes mixed marriages (from other communities), such marriages are leading to suicides among tribal women.
"Our women are being wooed by youngsters from outside our community, in the name of so-called love," says Adivasi Congress mandalam president Abhimanyu of Thiruvanathapuram who lost his daughter Anamika to suicide in September this year.
"My daughter was just 18. She was a Plus-two student. A youth from another community lured her in the name of love and ....we lost our child," he rued.
When it comes to Wayanad, there are many instances of mixed marriages among tribes like Adiya, Paniya, Kattunaykkar and Vettu Kuruma.
“We don’t have accurate data on such marriages, but there are many such marriages reported from Kuttyadi, Ourammeri, Kakkattil, Valayam, Kallachi, Vilangad, Koovantheri, Vattoli, Mukeri, Bhnarkkandi et al," claimed Ammini, an activist based in Wayanad.
"More often these girls are treated like domestic helps and are forced to endure physical abuse and economic exploitation. Though these are arranged marriages, the families later turn hostile and find it hard to accept tribal women as their daughters-in-law. Once the marriage breaks down, even the money taken from them is not returned," Ammini added.
"Even though the government promotes mixed marriages with positive intentions, these girls often end up, paying for the greed of outsiders and marriage brokers. Brokers entice tribal families into such marriages," the activist alleged.
In an effort to support tribal girls who marry outside the community, the government offers them Rs 50,000. Often, it is this money, in addition to land in their name – received under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) – that lure outsiders to marry tribal girls.
“If you think such marriages last long, you are wrong," said a tribal activist at Konnamoodu settlement – which houses 67 families of Kani tribe – of Peringammala panchayat in the state capital, on condition of anonymity.
"They come to our women with an eye on the land. If they are smart enough, they will be able to influence the Forest Rights Committees (FRC) so as to get the possession document issued in their name. Even if they don’t get it, the marriage serves as a convenient reason for them to enter protected forest areas without hindrance, and at times abuse this right for tourist activities or even other vested interests," the activist pointed out.
Here mixed marriages, both inter-caste and inter-religious, are quite common. However, only a few register their marriages, says Anurag, a local resident.
"Our kids are being exploited. Five years ago, when many suicides were reported, the then SC/ST minister AK Balan visited the colony and made a string of promises. But nothing happened," Anurag added.
The implementation of the Forest Rights Act has run into hurdles in Kerala.
As per the state government data, a total of 29,139 title deeds have been issued, covering around 388,27.46 acres under the FRA in Kerala till November 2024. In addition to this, land has also been issued to tribes under other schemes like Revenue/Farm/Project Land (7012.29 acres), Aashikkum Bhoomi (386.04 acres), Land Bank (66.52 acres), Vested Forest (5263,63 acres) and Rehabilitation of flood affected tribals (2047 acres). Viewed in this backdrop, the government has given around 51,576.61 acres to tribes.
As on September 2024, an area of 788316.14 acres of land has been issued to tribes under community rights, while development rights were issued on 537 claims. When it comes to individual rights, 38581,41 acres have been issued.
More often boys from other communities want to marry tribal girls to get their land.
"Majority of those who come from outside to marry tribals are not genuine in their intent. Incidents of conversion and land grabbing by outsiders were reported in Kuttichal panchayat. Once they marry our girls, they use marital influence to get title deeds/possession certificates of the land. The genuine tribes are thus left high and dry," points out Suresh Mithra, activist and district secretary of Adivasi Mahasabha.
Having said that, there are also numerous instances where tribal women have married outside the community and lead normal lives.
"In this settlement, there's a family, where a tribal woman married someone from the Nadar community. One of their children got married to someone from the Scheduled Caste community and another to a person from the Nair community. One got divorced, while the other marriage is still going strong," another local resident chipped in.
Taking them into confidence
One of the significant aspects that contribute to such suicides is the tremendous stress that people from the tribal communities undergo, when they start interacting with the outside world. Tribals, especially youngsters, go through stress due to cultural confusions, opined Rajendraprasad of Thampu, an NGO working for tribal welfare in Kerala.
"There's confusion among the younger generations of tribals, as they don't grow up in their natural ecosystem that exists among their elders. They go to hostels and learn from the outside world. This creates confusion and brings in existential dilemma. The 'Ooru' culture and related systems are no longer in practice. This too affects their day-to-day lives. That's why there is a steady rise in the number of dropouts among tribal students opting for higher studies. They are unable to cope with mainstream society. Issues like addiction to liquor also contribute," elaborates Rajendraprasad.
Strange but true
51-year-old Kuppan of Pottikkal hamlet in the Attappadi Block of Palakkad breathed his last in July this year at the Thrissur Medical College. The family is worried that the departed soul may never attain salvation, as he bade adieu, outside the hamlet. So is the case with 72-year-old Chinnaswamy of Chitttoor hamlet who passed away last June at the Kottathara tribal hospital. More often than not, hospital deaths, postmortem and funerals outside the hamlet remain an anathema.
Attappady block has three prominent tribes - Muduga, Irula and Kurumba. Certain prevalent beliefs and practices unfortunately stand in the way of people hailing from tribal communities, seeking treatment at modern hospitals. For contemporary societal norms, though this may appear strange, such issues pose a major challenge to officials who try to ensure tribals get access to modern medical treatment.
'When Chitoor Ooru Mooppan committed suicide, after postmortem, the funeral was first held at the public crematorium in Palakkad. Later, the remnants were brought to the Chittoor crematorium, where another funeral rite was performed. We believe crematorium is a sacred space. Also, at the time of death, the ancestors come to call on the departing soul. However, for lonely deaths at hospitals, neither the ancestors nor the Devathas make such visits," says 47-year-old Uthayan, who belongs to the Muduga tribe of Attappady.
The tribes believe that their souls would not attain salvation, as they died outside the Ooru (hamlet). "Look at the death of Kakki Mooppan (a hamlet chief), who was certain of his death, a month ago itself. He was aware of his death at least a month ago. He made elaborate preparations, including seeking blessings from his Bhradevatha (ancestral deity). He met all his near and dear ones, and set everything in order before passing. But such deaths don't have the approval of our deities," he avers.
Uthayan who lost his father 78-year-old Barman to Covid three years ago, leads an agricultural life at Chittoor, has many a story to tell. In 2013, when an infant death occurred at Kallachara Ooru, the parents were reluctant for postmortem. In another instance, in 2018, the Ayyappan-Reshmi couple lost their nine-month-old infant. Initially they were ready to seek treatment, but later chose to seek help from the ancestral deities. They have a practice called Cheeru, where the bones are collected after the cremation. The ritual is performed after many days.
Going by their beliefs, it would not be right to move out of the ancestral land that has been cultivated and lived on, by their forefathers for so long. That could be one reason why they are so reluctant to move out, despite efforts by the government. As per their beliefs, the Ooru and its cremation ground where the ancestors sleep, share the relation of an umbilical cord. If the tribes are evicted, they choose to move out only after collecting the bones of their forefathers and ensuring the safety and well-being of deities in their scared groves.
The conventions and deep-rooted beliefs in many tribal hamlets do not quite sit well with the outside world. Naturally, any effort to bring them to the mainstream should be made, only in accordance with their beliefs. Health activists keep approaching them offering support, but the families refuse to opt for modern medicine and treatment.
This painful saga of tribal suicides, mixed marriages, land-grab and quaint practices has now become a vicious cycle that could lead to disastrous consequences, unless there are sincere and immediate interventions by the government!
Tribal suicides under different panchayats in Kerala capital in 2024
Vithura : Prasad (44), Vishnu (23), Shanlal R (23), Vijimol (33), Vishnu (30), Sundaresan Kani (60), Ayyappan Kani (55), Jayesh (27).
Peringammala : Ajith (20), Manoj (35), Anamika AM (18), Madhu (55), Sukumaran Kani (56), Induja (25) and Arun Kani
Tholikkode : Sarath (33), Padmakumar (56), Krishnankutty (59) and Surendran (61)
Nandiyode : Leenamol (40), Namitha (19)
Aryanad : Baiju (50)
Pangode : Pratheesh (38)