Ailing real estate agent's body found two days after he jumped into Valapattanam river

Kannur: The body of C P Gopinathan (59), a former expatriate and real estate agent from Kannur's Pappinisseri panchayat, was recovered from the Valapattanam river on Saturday, two days after he leapt into the waters.

The body was found around 12.30 pm near the Valapattanam railway bridge by search teams comprising the Fire and Rescue Services, Coastal Police and local police.

Gopinathan, a native of Pampala in Pappinisseri's Keecheri village, is survived by his wife Roshini and daughters Geethu and Neethu.

On September 4, while returning from a check-up in Kannur after a recent bypass surgery, Gopinathan’s car was caught in traffic on the Valapattanam bridge. He told his wife and daughter he wanted to throw up, stepped out of the vehicle, and, in a sudden act, pushed them aside before jumping into the swollen river. The search that followed was hampered by strong currents and heavy rains, forcing teams to call it off that night.

Family members and neighbours remember Gopinathan as a man battling health distress. Two months ago, he underwent a bypass surgery, said Pappinisseri vice-president Pradeep Kumar K, who personally knew him. Apart from heart disease, he also had prostate-related ailments, he said. "His health issues could have driven him to take this step," he said.

‘Financially, the family is well placed, Pradeep Kumar said. Gopinathan was in the Gulf for many years. On his return several years ago, he took up real estate and also ran a wholesale lights business, said Pradeep Kumar. His cremation will be held at the Thiya cremation ground in Pappinisseri at 11 am on Sunday, Pradeep Kumar said.

At the end of last month, Premarajan (75), a resident of Alavil in Kannur's Chirakkal grama panchayat, allegedly killed his wife A K Sreelekha (68) before taking his own life.

Valapattanam police, which investigated that case too, suspect health-related distress drove the well-off elderly man to take the extreme step. Sreelekha was Forest Minister A K Saseendran's niece.