A 52-year-old woman from Finland, Kirsi Esther Karvo, was found dead in the Amritanandmayi ashram located in Karunagappally of Kollam district on Tuesday. Karunagappally police said that the initial investigation found that the woman killed herself. They said that further investigation will be carried out to find if there was anything suspicious. Kirsi's body has been kept in Karunagappally Taluk hospital.
This death comes a year after another foreign woman was found dead in an ashram belonging to Mata Amritanandamayi. A forty-five-year-old British national named Steffade Fiona died at the math in Kollam in June 2020. Steffade Fiona, died after falling from a building in the math, the police investigation concluded that it was a death by suicide.
According to Ashram authorities, Kirsi had been going through severe depression. Steffade also had depression, the ashram had said in 2020 following her death.
Deaths in different Amritanandamayi maths have triggered controversies in the past in KErala. In December 2014, Ouchi Eiji, a 56-year-old Japanese national, was found dead in his accommodation at the ashram. Eiji had been a resident of the math since 2012. Eiji's death was also found to be that of a suicide.
Earlier in 2012 there were allegations against the math in relation to the death of a law student from Bihar named Satnam Singh Mann, who had disrupted Amritanandamayi's discourse at the ashram. He had barged into the podium of the Amritanandamayi ashram, and was subsequently handed over to police. He was then shifted to a mental asylum. Later, Satnam Singh Mann was found dead. His relatives had alleged that there was foul play.
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.