Kochi: Thamburu K K (36), the fisherwoman-turned-influencer who brought Kerala’s fading tradition of barehanded fishing (Thappipidikkal) to millions of viewers, died by suicide at her rented residence at Pulinjuvadu near Vaikom on Monday.

A native of Kattikkunnu Thuruthu under Chembu panchayat in Vaikom, Thamburu had been living at the rented house with her 13-year-old daughter. The incident came to light around 5 pm when the school-going child returned home and found her mother hanging inside the house. The police suspect the act took place earlier in the afternoon.

Vaikom police reached the spot and registered an unnatural death case. After a post-mortem examination, her body was later taken to her ancestral home at Kattikkunnu, where her final rites were conducted on Tuesday evening.

Her family has alleged severe emotional harassment and mental torture by a man with whom Thamburu was in a relationship after befriending him online. The police said they will have to look into such allegations and examine call records and phone details.

Police sources said that they are investigating and collecting statements from her family members. “She was separated from her husband. We suspect mental stress was the reason behind her suicide. But we need a proper investigation based on her relatives’ statements.

Praveen, Thamburu’s close childhood friend and the collaborator who helped her launch and shoot videos for her Queen Fisher social media channel, said she had been under intense personal distress.

“She had been in a relationship with a man from Palakkad, whom she connected via online,” Pravin said. “Over recent months, he subjected her to extreme mental torture. He forbade her from shooting and posting videos, which is why her channels had suddenly gone completely silent. The harassment was severe as she was even hospitalised recently due to the acute stress. Her family will file a formal complaint to the police,” Praveen told Onmanorama.

Thamburu had shot to social media fame only a few months ago after turning the camera on a fishing tradition that had been part of her family’s life for generations.

After separating from her husband, she had initially posted food and cooking videos on Facebook. She later began facing neighbourhood gossip and comments questioning how she was supporting herself as a single mother. In response, she decided to document her livelihood – Thappi Meenpidikkal, a traditional form of hand-fishing practised in Vaikom’s backwaters.

With Praveen behind the camera, Thamburu began posting videos of herself and her family fishing from country boats and entering the muddy backwaters at low tide. Without nets, hooks or fishing rods, they searched underwater with their bare hands, feeling for fish hidden in crevices, mud banks and submerged roots.

Her first fishing video crossed one million views within 24 hours and eventually went past nine million views, turning her into a widely recognised face of the disappearing tradition. Her Queen Fisher page subsequently attracted a large following on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

The fishing tradition was deeply rooted in Thamburu’s family. Her mother, Vanaja Murali, and grandmother Vilasini were among those who continued the practice, along with her sister Ragini. The women travelled by boat to fishing grounds around Kumbalam, Nettoor, Cheppanam and Thripunithura, timing their work with the low tide.

The eldest of five children, Thamburu left school after Class 10 to accompany her mother on fishing trips. Her earnings helped support the education of her younger siblings, including one who trained in Ayurveda nursing and another who studied hotel management. She also worked at a driving school, garment unit and photo-editing studio and under MGNREGA schemes, while continuing to fish.

Her sudden rise on social media had brought recognition to both Thamburu and the traditional fishing practice she documented. Her family and friends had also seen a change in the public perception of her work.