Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (SP)

Beltangady, Mar 8: Laxmi alias Mary (40), resident of Thotathadi Kubala House, reportedly committed suicide in front of the house of Obayya, a member of Chamardi gram panchayat. She died out of consumption of acid used for rubber, it is said. The incident happened late night on Tuesday March 6.

Laxmi alias Mary happened to be the wife of a local named Santosh Thotathadi. She used to work as rubber tapper.  In the past,  Obayya's wife had complained to Dharmasthala police and also the local church, accusing Laxmi of frequently coming to her house and harassing her family members. It is said that the matter was settled through mediation.

Laxmi, a migrant labourer, had married Santosh, a Catholic, and got converted into Christianity. She knew Obayya well since before her marriage. After the marriage, she remained close to Obayya, because of which the two families often fought with each other, it is said.

The locals suspect that this could be a case of murder. When Laxmi had visited Obayya's house, a verbal friction between the two had happened. Angered by the incident, she could have been killed, the people of the village say.

In his complaint to the police, Santosh said that he and his wife had slept together but he does not know when she went out of her home. "During late night, Obayya told me that Laxmi was lying near his house. I went and saw that she was lying near the steps to the  house of Obayya. She was being taken to the hospital in the town in an ambulance summoned by Obayya when she died," he stated.  Obayya's wife told the police that Laxmi came to her home and knocked at the door during late night. When she opened the door, she said she saw that Laxmi had collapsed in front of her house. Thereafter, the family of Laxmi was informed, she said.

A case of suspected murder stands registered in Dharmasthala police station. The body was taken to Deralakatte Mangaluru for postmortem.

Laxmi is survived by a son who is studying in eighth standard.