Mother ends life after killing differently abled daughter in Malappuram

Edappal: A tragic incident in Kerala’s Malappuram district has left the local community in shock after a 57-year-old woman allegedly killed her differently abled daughter before dying by suicide on Wednesday morning.

The deceased have been identified as Anithakumari, 57, of Kandhanakam, and her daughter Anjana, 27, who had been undergoing long-term treatment for cerebral palsy.

According to police, Anithakumari drowned her daughter in a water drum before hanging herself from a tree near their home in Edappal. The incident reportedly occurred around 8 a.m., shortly after Anithakumari’s son left for work. When officers arrived, Anjana’s body was found laid on a cot and covered with a sheet, while her mother’s body was discovered outside.

Preliminary findings suggest Anithakumari had been suffering from acute depression following the death of her husband a month earlier. The emotional and financial strain of caring for her daughter alone, coupled with her husband’s loss, is believed to have driven her to despair.

Neighbours described her as a devoted mother who had rarely left the house in recent weeks and appeared visibly disturbed. “She hardly stepped out of the house and seemed deeply troubled,” a neighbour told police.

Police have registered a case of unnatural death and begun a detailed investigation. Forensic teams conducted inquest procedures, and the bodies were taken to Edappal Taluk Hospital for post-mortem examination. Relatives informed officers that Anithakumari had been under significant psychological stress after doctors recently told her that her daughter’s chances of recovery were minimal.

Authorities emphasised the urgent need for families facing similar emotional or financial pressures to seek mental health and counselling support. Police officials noted that caregiver fatigue and untreated depression remain leading causes of domestic tragedies across Kerala.

Recent studies in the state have found that most suicide victims belong to low-income or unorganised sectors, with hanging being the most common method. Kerala’s suicide rate stands at 28.5 per lakh population — more than twice the national average of 12.4.

The incident has reignited discussions on the importance of accessible mental health care, social support systems for caregivers of differently abled individuals, and timely community intervention to prevent such tragedies.
(With IANS inputs)