Kottayam: The brutal murder of her daughter Nithina by classmate Abhishek at St Thomas College, Pala, has now left her mother Bindu all alone.
Bindu along with Nithina, 22, was trying to make a comeback to life after going through a series of financial crises. Separated from her husband, Bindu was pinning all hopes on Nithina. Her confidence gave strength to Nithina in return.
Hearing the news, a crying Bindu said that Devu (Nithina) used to say always that she would take care of everything after getting a job.
The mother-daughter duo left their home at Kurupunthra near Thalayolaparambu on a scooter on Friday morning. Nithina dropped her mother at the bus stop and went to the college at Pala. Bindu was on her way to Kottayam Medical College Hospital with plans to join a temporary job there. She also wanted to visit the bank in connection with the pending housing loan issues.
Bindu had landed in debt after she bought land for constructing a home without knowing that the land had been pledged for a loan. She built the house in 2018 under the Joy Alukkas Group’s Social Service Project. The small house was their haven. Nithina used to wake up her mother early in the morning and come to her side, saying, "Bindukutty, coffee is ready."
During the tough times of COVID-19 last year, together they made PPE kits, to make a living. When the college was closed for Onam vacation, Nithina started working at a textile shop in Vaikom. She continued there even after Onam holidays.
To get a good job was Nithina’s biggest dream. Since she was a student of Food Processing Technology, she made cakes and sold them for money. “She had said she will take up any job after graduation and improve our living conditions. She wanted to improve my lot,” Bindu said sharing her daughter's dreams.
Nithina grew up in the house of Kunneppadikkal Ponnappan, the son of Bindu’s paternal uncle. She used to tell her relatives that her wedding should be held in the courtyard of this house. In a strange coincidence, this is the house where Nithina's body arrives for her last journey.
Nithina was also active in public life. She was the vice-president of the Thuruvelikunnu unit of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). She also served as the vice-president of DYFI's Udayanapuram East. She was also in the forefront of providing assistance to flood victims in 2018.