Kottayam: Jisemol was everything a modern woman aspired to be. She was successful, independent, intelligent, articulate, god-fearing, selfless, and ambitious. Why would such a woman, who seemed to have everything going for her, want to take her life along with that of her two little daughters?

"We have lost a good friend, a great colleague, a devoted daughter and a caring mother," Shailaja Sasi's eyes were brimming with tears when she said these words about Jisemol Thomas, who died by suicide here on Tuesday. Shailaja, the librarian at Neerikkad Public Library where Jisemol was an active member, was in a state of shock over the sudden loss of her friend.

Jisemol, a resident of Neerikkad in Ettumanoor, jumped into the Meenachil river at Kannamburakadavu in Peroor around 1.30 pm on April 15, along with her daughters Neha (5) and Ponnu (1).

 "Jisemol was a very pleasant and cheerful person. She visited the library often, and we used to have insightful conversations about everything under the sun. I never saw her without a smile. But I can't think of any reason that would have led her to take such a step," Shailaja said.

Shailaja also recollects the great speeches that Jisemol delivered during the various activities that were conducted at the library. "I can't believe that they are gone, she and her beautiful kids," she said.

Everyone who knew Jisemol is in a state of shock. One of her neighbours, who declined to be named, said there appeared to be no issues within the family. "Her mother-in-law, a retired teacher, was a cancer patient. Jisemol took great care of her and looked after the rest of the family as well," he said.

Jisemol and her children always visited the Neerikkad Lourde Matha Knanaya Catholic Church, which is very near her house. "She actively participated in every activity in the church. I could see her participating in church readings during the mass on Sundays.  There was nothing wrong with her or her family," church vicar Fr Jose recollected.

Jisemol's husband, Jimmy Joseph, is an electrical engineer at Caritas Hospital in Kottayam. Her father-in-law, Joseph, used to own a fleet of buses but had to sell them as his age made it difficult for him to take care of the business,  a family relative said.

Jisemol was a practising lawyer at Ernakulam and Pala. Recently, she opened a new office at Kottaramattom in Pala. A former politician and a Congress member, she also sought positions as legal advisor at the Pala branch of the State Bank of India and Canara Bank, said Bibin Raj, Pala Block vice-president of the Congress party.

Jisemol's entry into politics was unexpected. Her mother, Lissy Thomas, was the ward member at Thekkummury North in Mutholy Panchayat. After Lissy’s untimely death in a road accident near Andoor Kavala in Pala, the Congress party began searching for an ideal candidate.

At that time, Jisemol was a young lawyer who had recently completed her LLM from a college in Karnataka. "She was practising at the High Court then, and our search for a candidate ended with her. We knew she was the perfect person for the role," Bibin said.

 At 24, she contested the election and defeated the Kerala Congress candidate. In 2019, she was elected to the post of Panchayat president, a remarkable achievement at a young age.

"Jisemol was a very disciplined person who handled responsibilities promptly and efficiently. Though she served as president for only a few months, her work was commendable," Bibin said. He expressed deep shock at her death, adding that he still couldn’t believe it had happened.

Meanwhile, the Ettumanoor police said that an investigation is currently ongoing, and a case of unnatural death has been registered.

On Wednesday, the autopsy report confirmed that the cause of Jisemol’s death was drowning. A vein on Jisemol’s hand had been cut, and she also had a wound on her lower back. The report states that Jisemol poisoned her children before jumping into the river, as traces of disinfectant were detected in the kids' bodies.

Her cremation will take place at St Mary’s Knanaya Catholic Church in Cherukara, Pala. The date will be decided after her father, Thomas, who is currently in the UK, returns.