THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Crucial information has surfaced on the complaint of a self-styled godwoman duping a family at Vellayani and swindling 55 sovereigns and Rs 150,000. The complaint is that the godwoman identified as Vidya and known as Thettiyodu Devi staying near Kaliyikkavila bus stand cheated the family of Viswambaran of Vellayani.

Vidya while talking to a channel said that she is not a godwoman and has not stolen anybody’s gold and cash. The woman claimed that the complainant gave her the gold to settle her liability at the temple. She said half of the gold have been returned and the rest will be given on December 22nd.

‘I’ve not stolen gold. Have not received a single money from them. Viswambaran’s daughter Vineethu came here and told me that her gold is in the locker and told me not to borrow money from anybody and asked me to settle my liability after pledging her ornaments given to me. I am not a godwoman. The Devi temple fest will be held here in once in four years. Devi has come here from the temple and all this was proved in the devaprasnam,’ Vidya told a channel.

Five from Viswambaran’s family including his son had died in 2020. A lawyer from Neyyattinkara took Viswambaran and his daughter near Vidya in January 2021 to remove their bad luck. Vidya and her associates reached Viswambaran’s house in the same year to do a pooja. Vidya scared the family saying that there will be more deaths again. Viswambaran and his family who were sad after their son’s untimely death believed all that Vidya said. One room of Viswambaran’s house was converted into a pooja room. The poojas were mostly held at night.

Viswambaran handed over 55 sovereigns and Rs 150,000 to Vidya after she told them that in order to please God all these should be kept in the almirah of the pooja room. It was kept in the cupboard and locked. She told them not to open it for 15 days. She told them that the goddess and the two-headed serpent were invisibly in the room and so the family dared to enter the room. Vidya and her aides came to the house in between and conducted some poojas. However, they did not turn up even after fifteen days. When inquired, they said the curse is still not over and would take three months. It's been a year since then. After the family got suspicious, they opened the cupboard and found the gold and cash missing. The complainant alleged that when he went to Vidya's house, they threatened to kill the entire family if filed a case.