Mental stress over election defeat; UDF candidate dies days after suicide attempt in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A UDF candidate who attempted suicide following his defeat in the local body elections died on Tuesday. Vijayakumaran Nair (59), a native of Cheriyakonni, died in the incident. Vijayakumaran had contested the elections from the Manamboor ward of the Aruvikkara grama panchayat.

Vijayakumaran Nair had attempted to hang himself from a tree on Saturday afternoon after the election results were announced. The attempt was, however, foiled after Nair’s son happened to see this. Nair was immediately taken to the hospital, but he died this morning while undergoing treatment.

In Manamboor, the BJP won the election while Vijayakumaran Nair finished in third place. Relatives said that Nair was mentally distressed following the setback in elections.