Former panchayat president, two children die by suicide in Meenachil river

KOTTAYAM: Three lives were lost after a woman jumped into a river with her two children in Kottayam on Tuesday. The dead are Neha (5) and Ponnu (2) and Advocate Jismol, a native of Mutholy, Pala, Kottayam.

It is reported that Jismol, the former president of Mutholy Gram Panchayat, took her two daughters and jumped into the river with a purported intention to end life. The incident took place near Pulinkunnu Bridge in the Meenachil River in Ettumanoor at around 1:30 pm today. The woman, who came in a scooter with her children, crossed the protective fence of the Meenachil River and descended into the deep danger zone of the Pulinkunnu bridge.

No one saw the three jumping into the river. The alarm was raised when locals saw one body floating on the river. A search was initiated, and two more were recovered. All three were rushed to hospital but to no avail. A police team from Ayarkkunnam Ettumanoor station had also reached the spot. Mutholy Panchayat President Ranjith admitted to knowing about family disputes in Jismol’s life. This is now doubted to be the reason for the former Panchayat president opting for the drastic step, also taking along her two daughters and leaving a family in eternal gloom.

Jismol was a lawyer who practiced in the High Court and in Pala. Her husband is Jimmy Thonnammavungal of Neericadu. A scooter with a sticker bearing the lawyer's insignia was recovered from the Kannampura area. The police are investigating the cause of death.