Kasaragod: A newlywed woman ended her life inside her husband's home at Aramanganam in Udma panchayat's Bare village, shortly after she sent her mother a photograph of the noose.

The victim, K Nandana (21), was found hanging in her bedroom. Earlier, she had messaged her mother, Seena, saying she intended to end her life, and sent the chilling photo of the noose. Alarmed, Seena immediately called her daughter’s in-laws. When they rushed in and knocked, the door remained locked. They broke open the door and found Nandana hanging from a shawl. She was rushed to a private hospital in Delli, but doctors could not save her.

The tragedy has left the neighbourhood reeling, especially since Nandana appeared cheerful in the days leading up to her death. She had dressed in matching outfits with her husband Ranjesh at the Onam celebrations in Aramanganam, laughing with neighbours and joining in the festivities, said Aramanganam ward member Nirmala T. "I remember visiting their house recently for a survey. Nandana and her elder sister-in-law were at home. They came across as a happy family. Nothing about her or the couple appeared to be off," said Nirmala.

Nandana was the only daughter of K Ravi, a manual labourer, and Seena, a government school ayah, residents of Ayampara in Pullur, Periya panchayat, 20 km from Aramanganam.

Ranjesh, a welder, met Nandana while she was working in a lab. She left home without informing her parents and got married on April 26.

According to Ayampara ward member and Nandana's neighbour, Latha K, her parents had initially opposed her marriage to Ranjesh. "They were building a house and wanted her to wait until the work was finished before getting married. But she left home without telling her parents,” Latha said.

Back then, her parents filed a missing report at the Bekal police station. But the couple turned up at the station and informed officers that they had married in a temple.

After that, Nandana never returned to her parents' home, said Latha. "But she was in touch with them over the phone. We are all shaken by what she did. We have no clue why she decided to end her life. She had just got married. We thought she was happy," she said.

The Melparamba Police have registered a case of unnatural death. After the postmortem, the cremation will be held at Ayampara, said panchayat member Nirmala.