'Subjected to mental torture by in-laws'; Police to record statement from Jismol's kin

KOTTAYAM: Police will record the statements of the kin of former Mutholy Panchayat president and lawyer Jismol Thomas (34), who committed suicide the other day with her two daughters. Jismol’s father and brother had alleged Jismol suffered mental torture from her in-laws, which they attributed to be behind her terrible decision to end her life.

Jismol’s father will file a complaint with higher police officials demanding an investigation into the mystery surrounding the death. The police have registered a case of unnatural death.

On Tuesday afternoon, Jismol and her two daughters arrived near the Pulinkunnu bridge and entered the river without anyone’s notice. Locals learned about the case after spotting one body floating in the river. The postmortem was completed at Kottayam Medical College Hospital yesterday evening under the leadership of the Kottayam RDO.

At the request of relatives, the bodies of Jismol and the children were moved to the morgue of a private hospital in Pala. According to preliminary information from the postmortem, the cause of death for all three was fluid in the lungs. Jismol's arm had a severed nerve.

Jismol also had a deep cut on her back. Traces of disinfectant were found on both of her children's bodies. Police investigations indicated that Jismol had poisoned her children before jumping into the river. Police also took statements from Jismol’s husband, Jimmy, and his relatives.