In Kerala, another young married woman commits suicide in her marital home.
Even as Kerala is still reeling from the tragedy of three recent deaths of young married women, a fourth woman has committed herself in Kollam. Anuja, 21, died on July 11 at 1.30 a.m. after being hospitalized for several days following a suicide attempt at her marital home in Kollam.
“On the evening of June 30, she went into her room and locked the door due to an incident at the [marital] home. When she didn’t come out after a time, he tried knocking. When there was no response, he broke the door open and discovered she had attempted suicide (her hanging by the railings of a window),” said Pradeep Kumar, Assistant Sub Inspector of Police for Kollam West.
Anuja was immediately rushed to the Bishop Benziger Hospital nearby, but due to her bad condition, she was sent to the Travancore Medical College in Kollam and afterward to the Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram. She exhaled her last breath in Thiruvananthapuram.
“Her family has alleged that her husband’s mother Sunija mistreated her,” stated ASI Pradeep. Anuja married 25-year-old welder Satheesh on December 10, 2020.
The police have opened an investigation under section 498 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with harassment of a woman by her spouse or a relative of her husband. Prateep Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Kollam, will now take over the investigation.
Within a month, four young married women under the age of 25, including Anuja, allegedly committed suicide as a result of bad marital circumstances. Vismaya, 22, was discovered dead in her husband’s home in Kollam on June 21. Within a few days, 24-year-old Archana and 19-year-old Suchithra committed themselves at their marital residences.
Please reach out to anyone you know who is experiencing mental health concerns or is suicidal. Here are some phone numbers for suicide prevention organizations that can provide individuals and families with emotional support.
