Woman ends life after oracle accused her of infidelity in Kerala

The unnatural death of a woman at Thrissur district in Kerala has triggered allegation that she committed suicide after an oracle accused her of illicit relationship and issued a decree for public apology before goddess.

The woman, aged around 30 and mother of two children, was found hanging on Wednesday. The police launched a probe into the allegation after her husband and brother filed complaints alleging that she ended life owing to the mental agony caused by the oracle. They also pointed fingers at two local youths, including one of their close relatives.

The Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP), a people's science movement of Kerala, also demanded action against the person who performed as oracle and one who allegedly instigated him.

The incident took place at Manaloor near Anthikkad, about 15 kilometres from Thrissur city. The deceased woman was staying with her two children while her husband Jobin was working aboard.

Jobin told DH that he strongly suspect the role of two youths, including one of his cousins, for mental torture of his wife by raising fake allegations.

According to the complaint given by Jobin to the police, one of their close relatives used to spread allegations of illicit relationship of the woman with another youth of the locality. The family members had warned the relative, who is also a youth. The woman used to complain about being teased by the relative.

Subsequently, during a ritual at Jobin's family temple on February 25, another youth of the locality who dressed up as oracle charged the woman of illicit affairs and issued a decree that she should apologise before the goddess in public, said the complaint.

Jobin said that his wife was mentally shattered by the incident and he as well as other relatives tried to console her over phone and personally. The very next day she ended her life. Hence, action should be taken against the one who dressed up as oracle and those who instigated him, including the relative, for abetting the suicide.

Thrissur rural district police chief K P Viajayakumaran said that the preliminary information of the police was that many local people were witness to the charges and decree of the oracle against the woman. If it was found true in the ongoing detailed investigation, suicide abetment charges would be framed against the one who performed as oracle and one who instigated him.

KSSP Thrissur district secretary Sathya Narayanan, who visited the family on Sunday, said that miscreants had used the oracle as a tool to settle personal scores and it led to the woman ending her life owing to the mental agony. The government and police should take stern actions to curb such incidents.