Honour killing victim Shankar’s wife Kausalya, who attempted suicide by consuming poison at her house at Komaralingam near Udumalpet in Tirupur district on Wednesday night, has recovered and is fit for discharge, Dean of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) A. Edwin Joe told The Hindu on Sunday.
Around 10 p.m. Wednesday she consumed Malachite powder – a chemical substitute for cow-dung powder – two months after her husband Shankar (a final year engineering student) was murdered at the Udumalpet Bus Stand. On Thursday morning, Kausalya told her brother-in-law Vigneshwaran that she consumed poison and was rushed to the Udumalpet Government Hospital. In a couple of hours, she was rushed to the CMCH for treatment and was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Guarded by the City Police, the girl was treated and was fast recovering.
“Alongside treatment, the hospital psychiatrist also regularly gave counselling for her. She responded well. Kausalya is a bold girl. She wants to return to Shankar’s house,” the Dean said.
Hospital authorities quoted the girl as saying that at home she was given counselling by women from an organisation. Representatives of some organisations also tried to meet her and give her counselling, but they were not allowed on security aspects and to give her privacy. Kausalya had also assured hospital authorities that she would continue counselling at home (Shankar’s place). On Sunday, the girl had told the hospital authorities that she wants to go home (Komaralingam). Though she was ready for discharge, hospital sources said she would be able to leave only when the Tirupur district police come to escort her.
Police sources said that there was delay in getting her discharged as they did not have the required strength due to heavy deployment for election arrangements.
Happy over her recovery, her father-in-law C. Velusamy told The Hindu that she had planned to take up a job (as assured by the government) and also continue higher education through distance education mode. “But, I have asked her to concentrate on studies and complete her engineering degree in regular stream. Let her complete what my son could not,” he said. Velusamy, a daily wage labourer, also felt that staying in a hostel and continuing studies would help her.
Helpline
Persons feeling suicidal can call NGO Sneha in its 24-hour helpline number 044-24640050 to get over such momentary extreme decisions.
Persons feeling suicidal can call NGO Sneha in its 24-hour helpline number 044-24640050
