Police suspect suicide after a woman was discovered dead at the Mata Amritanandamayi ashram in Kerala.

Kirsi Esther Karvo, 52, of Finland, was discovered dead on Tuesday at the Amritanandmayi ashram in Karunagappally, Kollam district. According to Karunagappally police, the initial inquiry revealed that the woman committed suicide. They stated that additional inquiry will be conducted to determine if there was anything untoward. Kirsi’s body was kept in the Karunagappally Taluk hospital.

This incident comes a year after another foreign woman was discovered dead in Mata Amritanandamayi’s ashram. Steffade Fiona, a 45-year-old British national, died in June 2020 at the math in Kollam. Steffade Fiona died after falling from a building in the math, and the police inquiry determined that she committed herself.

Kirsi had been suffering from acute depression, according to Ashram authorities. Steffade also suffered from depression, according to the ashram, which announced her death in 2020.

Deaths in various Amritanandamayi maths have already sparked controversy in KErala. Ouchi Eiji, a 56-year-old Japanese national, was discovered dead in his ashram room in December 2014. Eiji had been a math resident since 2012. Eiji’s death was also determined to be a suicide.

Earlier in 2012, allegations were levelled against the math in connection with the death of Satnam Singh Mann, a law student from Bihar who had disrupted Amritanandamayi’s discourse at the ashram. He had barged into the Amritanandamayi ashram’s platform and was later handed over to police. He was then transferred to a psychiatric institution. Satnam Singh Mann was later discovered dead. His relatives claimed there was foul play.

Please reach out to anyone you know who is experiencing mental health concerns or is suicidal. Here are some phone numbers for suicide prevention organisations that can provide individuals and families with emotional support.

Kerala

Maithri: 0484 2540530

Chaithram: 0484 2361161

Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.