Ramanthali Family Tragedy: Police Suspect Suicide Linked to Family Court Dispute

Kannur: The incident in which four members of a family were found dead in their house at Ramanthali around 9 pm on Monday is suspected to be linked to a family dispute following a court order. The deceased are K.T. Kaladharan (38), a cook from Vadakkumbad, his children Hima (5) and Kannan (2), and his mother Usha (60) of Koyithatta Thazhathuveedu.

Kaladharan and his wife Nayanthara had a case pending in the family court. Relatives said that a court order had recently directed that the children, Hima and Kannan—who were living with Kaladharan—be handed over to Nayanthara. Following this, Nayanthara had reportedly been calling and demanding that the children be sent to her.

Kaladharan’s father, AK Unnikrishnan, an auto-rickshaw driver, reached the house in the evening and, finding no one there, lodged a complaint at the Payyannur police station. When he later returned to the house, all four were found dead. Usha and Kaladharan were found hanging, while the children were lying on the floor. Police suspect that the children were poisoned, after which Usha and Kaladharan died by suicide.

A police team led by Kannur District Police Superintendent Anuj Palival and Payyannur DySP K. Vinodkumar reached the spot. After completing inquest proceedings, the bodies were shifted to Kannur Government Medical College for post-mortem examination.