Congress leader to be booked for woman's suicide in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Neyyattinkara police will register a case against Thiruvananthapuram district Congress committee general secretary Jose Franklin for sexual harassment as well as abetting the suicide of a 50-year-old woman near Perumbazhuthoor. Jose Franklin, who is also the standing committee chairman for health in Neyyattinkara municipality, was named in the suicide note by the woman. Neyyattinkara police Inspector B S Praveen said the suicide note mentioned that Jose had sexually harassed the woman. She was also mentally harassed in the name of securing loans for her bakery business, he said. The Inspector added that the Call Detail Record (CDR) revealed that Jose had regularly contacted the victim over phone. The victims children also gave statements incriminating Joses involvement in the case. Meanwhile, CPM and BJP took out protest marches to the police station demanding Joses arrest. The police said the Congress leader is likely to be booked on Saturday morning. The suicide took place on Wednesday morning. The woman was found lying on the floor with burn injuries following the explosion of a gas stove. Initially it was thought to be an accident, but during forensic examination, it was found to be a case of suicide.