Thiruvananthapuram: An oracle of a local temple was arrested by the police here on Tuesday following allegations that a woman committed suicide after his decree on her character. It is suspected that the oracle, who is in his twenties, pronounced the decree at the behest of one of her relatives, who was harassing the 32-year-old woman whose husband works abroad.
"Initial reports said many locals were witness to the charges and the decree by the oracle against the woman. The accused's arrest was recorded and charges of abetment to suicide were filed against him. We are probing the role of the relative," said Thrissur rural district police chief KP Viajayakumaran.
The mother of two was found hanging inside her house at Manaloor near Anthikkad in Thrissur district on February 26. It was alleged that she committed suicide after Sreekanth, the oracle with the family temple, accused her of having an illicit relationship and issued a decree for a public apology before the goddess.
The police launched a probe into the allegation after the woman's husband and her brother filed two separate complaints on March 1 alleging that she ended her life owing to the "shame and mental agony" caused by the decree. They had demanded action against the oracle and those who instigated him, including the cousin, for abetment of suicide.
The husband told the media that he strongly suspects the role of two people, including one of his cousins, in mentally torturing his wife. The woman used to complain to her relatives about being harassed by the cousin. According to them, she had rejected his advances several times before.
The woman's family members and her husband had also warned the relative against maligning the woman.
However, during a ritual at the family temple on February 25, Sreekanth accused the woman of having illicit affairs and issued a decree that she should apologise before the goddess in public.
The husband said that his wife was mentally shattered by the incident. Attempts by him to console her over the phone as well as by their relatives personally couldn't help as she ended her life the next day.
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