Kochi: Man found dead, wife charred to death, 4-year-old son battling for life

The police found a note, presumably written by the wife, from the house that mentions financial constraints

A man was found dead and his wife, charred to death in their rented home at Puliyanam near Angamaly in a suspected case of suicide on Friday (September 27, 2024) at midnight.

The deceased were identified as Sanal Sasikumar (39) and Sumi Sanal (37). Two of their children, aged 11 and 4, also sustained burns. The seriously injured younger child was first rushed to Little Flower Hospital in Angamaly and from there to the Ernakulam Medical Centre, Palarivattom.

“The child was brought here in the early morning hours with 100% burns and has been put on ventilator in the Burns Intensive Care Unit. He remains critical,” said hospital sources. The elder boy escaped with minor burns on his hand.

The police found a note, presumably written by the wife, from the house that suggests financial constraints in the family.

According to the Angamaly fire and rescue services, they received information of a possible gas cylinder leak that led to fire. “Since the house was in a neighbourhood that was hard to access, it took us time to reach there. By then the children had been rescued and rushed to hospital by the local people. But the fire was still on and we doused it by pumping water using a hose from the neighbouring house. We also safely defused the cylinder,” said T.V. Vishwas, fire safety officer.

Nithin Siju, member of ward 16 of Parakkadavu panchayat, said that the couple had been running a citizen service centre in Thuravur and had little contact with people in the neighbourhood.

Screaming of the children and raging fire brought people in the neighbourhood to the house around 11.15 p.m. “The door was locked from inside and we had to be break it down. One of the persons assembled entered the house and rescued the children,” said Siju, the immediate neighbour and in whose car the children were rushed to the hospital.

He said that the family had been living there for nearly a decade but had little contact with others. “They kept to themselves mostly as they left to their centre in the morning and returned only in the evening, said Siju.“

Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling 0484-2540530

Published - September 28, 2024 10:22 am IST