Woman poisons ailing daughter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 33-year-old mentally challenged woman died on Saturday at Aryanad after her mother allegedly poisoned her. The deceased has been identified as Deepa. Her mother Vasanthi (58) is also admitted to Medical College Hospital after she consumed poison in a bid to commit suicide after poisoning her daughter.
Police said that it might be the plight of the family members, who were constantly affected by various serious health issues that prompted Vasanthi to take the extreme step.
Vasanthi retired as clerk from a government high school. Though the family was well off, all the members of the family, including her husband Ramakanth, daughter Deepa and son Deepu were suffering from various kinds of illnesses.
Ramakanth, a farmer, had his right leg amputated owing to diabetes. An injury he suffered while tilling the farm, which got worsened when his diabetic level rose, resulted in the amputation of his leg. A few fingers of his left leg were also lost after he developed an infection. Ramakanth was also a CPM local committee member. Their son Deepu is also a government servant and is under treatment at his wife's house for renal failure. Deepu, who is bedridden after both his kidneys failed, is now undergoing regular dialysis. The treatment expenditures have put the family in financial crisis.
Police added that Vasanthi poisoned her daughter and then consumed it herself on Friday night. Vasanthi is suspected to have used acid used in rubber plantations to process rubber. Ramakanth, who heard his daughter vomiting alerted the neighbours, who rushed both the women to the hospital. But Deepa died on the way.
Police said quoting the hospital authorities that Deepa's esophagus had completely burned after coming in contact with the acid. Vasanthi's condition remains to be critical. The body of Deepa was handed over to the family after hospital formalities.
Boy injured in accident dies
A four-year-old boy, who was under treatment after being met with a road accident at Pothencode, succumbed to his injuries on Saturday. Asnan, son of Baijudeen of Koyoorkonam, near Pothencode, met with the accident on Tuesday afternoon when the autorickshaw he was travelling in collided with another auto. There were six other children in the autorickshaw and one more child Mohammed (9), was also seriously injured. He is recuperating at the Medical College Hospital. All were students of Nizammiya Public School, Pothencode.