Accused wife faces public wrath during evidence collection

Residents in Kundara, Kerala, reacted with anger and hostility towards Lekha Mary, the 48-year-old wife accused of murdering her 56-year-old husband Raju Edward, during her evidence collection on Wednesday. The police, heavily deployed, struggled to escort Lekha into her home amidst the public's intense fury.

Raju Edward met his death on October 3, 2022. According to the police, the murder was a result of a property dispute, and it involved the use of a belt to strangle him. On the early hours of that day, Lekha and Baiju, the victim's brother who resides nearby, rushed Raju to a private hospital in Kundara. Despite the initial claim that Raju had collapsed while trying to get out of bed, hospital authorities alerted the police after noticing suspicious marks on the victim's neck, and relatives shared similar concerns. This led the Kundara police to arrest Lekha, who subsequently confessed to the crime.