Family in Kottayam with children suffering from rare disease seeks euthanasia

Kottayam: A five-member family from Kozhuvanal panchayat here is mulling over approaching the Supreme Court seeking its sanction for euthanasia.

Manu, wife Smitha, and their children are planning to approach the apex court seeking mercy killing since the family has no means to survive. 

The nurse couple, who had been working in Delhi, resigned and returned to Kerala after their two younger children, Sandrin and Santino, were diagnosed with a rare disease.

Manu and Smitha were meeting the children's treatment and daily expenses by mortgaging their properties and borrowing from others. A few philanthropists, too, helped the family.

The couple knocked at several doors for a job to make both ends meet. After making a representation to the Kozhuvanal panchayat, the civic body decided to offer Smitha a job.

However, the panchayat secretary was reluctant to forward the civic body committee's report recommending a job for Smitha to the government. 

The secretary forwarded the report after the family approached the Human Rights Commission. However, uncertainty has been continuing over the possibility of Smith getting the job.

It was against this backdrop that the family decided to approach the high court and Supreme Court seeking sanction for euthanasia, said Smitha, and Save the Family president K Mujeeb, Vice President I Naushad, and Treasurer Joshwa Chacko.