Even as Kerala is reeling from the shock of three subsequent deaths of young married women in recent days, a fourth woman has died by suicide in Kollam. Anuja, aged 21, died at 1.30 am on Sunday, July 11, after being hospitalised for several days following a suicide attempt at her marital home in Kollam.
“On the night of June 30, she had gone into her room and locked the door after some issue at the [marital] house. When she did not come out after a while, the husband tried knocking. When there was no response, he forced the door open and found she had tried to take her own life,” said Assistant Sub Inspector of Police of Kollam West, Pradeep Kumar.
Anuja was immediately taken to the Bishop Benziger Hospital nearby but seeing that her condition was serious was sent to the Travancore Medicity Medical College in Kollam and later taken to the Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram. It is in Thiruvananthapuram that she breathed her last.
“Her family has complained that she was ill-treated by her husband’s mother Sunija,” said ASI Pradeep. Anuja had got married to 25-year-old Satheesh, a welder, on December 10, 2020.
The police have registered a case under section 498 of the Indian Penal Code – harassment of woman by husband or relative of husband. The case will now be taken up by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Kollam, Prateep Kumar.
Within a month, four young married women under the age of 25, including Anuja, have died allegedly by suicide due to unhappy circumstances in their marital homes. Twenty-two-year-old Vismaya was found dead in her husband’s home in Kollam on June 21. Within days, 24-year-old Archana and 19-year-old Suchithra also died by suicide at their marital homes.
If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide-prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.
Tamil Nadu
State health department’s suicide helpline: 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre: 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu)
Andhra Pradesh
Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930
Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584
Karnataka
Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222
Kerala
Maithri: 0484 2540530
Chaithram: 0484 2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers
Telangana
State government’s suicide prevention (tollfree): 104
Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200
SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 am and 7 pm)
Aasara offers support to individuals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one.
24x7 Helpline: 9820466726
Click here for working helplines across India.