Idukki panchayat member says she fled home over domestic abuse, hid in forest for days

Idukki: Mankulam panchayat member Dhanya Ganesan, who was reported missing and later found in a critical condition, told police that she had left home after being unable to endure alleged domestic abuse by her husband.

Her statement was recorded by Munnar Police at Adimali Taluk Hospital on Tuesday. Dhanya had been missing for several days before she was found in a weakened state inside an unoccupied house.

According to police, Dhanya said she spent five nights moving between a relative’s house at Ambatham Mile and nearby forest areas after leaving home. She alleged that frequent quarrels with her husband had left her distressed, and that he had smashed her mobile phone during an argument.

She told investigators that she managed to get food occasionally from the relative’s house during the day. When search operations were carried out by police and local residents on the second and third days of her disappearance, she hid inside a hollow tree in the forest to avoid being found.

Dhanya said she reached the abandoned house only on Monday morning and decided to come out after becoming completely exhausted. She clarified that she had remained in hiding on her own and was not influenced or forced by anyone.

She was later produced before the Devikulam Magistrate Court on Tuesday, where her statement was also recorded. Police said counselling would be provided to her, following which further action would be taken based on her decision.

Meanwhile, the Munnar DySP dismissed reports claiming that tissue paper was recovered from beneath her tongue during medical examination, calling them baseless. Police also said that while Dhanya had spoken about domestic abuse, she had not sought legal action against her husband so far.