The landslide tragedy that killed several has devastated the residents of Pettimudi in Kerala’s Idukki district. When the rescue workers at the landslide site recovered two bodies, that of a young woman and a little girl who were hugging each other under a blanket, they initially assumed that it was a mother-daughter duo. But later, a thorough inquiry by a Public Relations department official revealed the story of a deep bond between two neighbours. Anjumol (21) and Lakshanasree (7) died together in deep sleep when the landslide struck Pettimudi in the wee hours of August 7.
The bodies of Anjumol and Lakshanasree were recovered on August 9. Anjumol, who lost her mother at a young age, lived with her grandmother Chandra at number 7 lane in Pathumury Layams (housing quarters for tea estate workers). Lakshanasree lived with her parents, Raja and Shobha, in house number 4 in Aarumury layams. Both families died in the landslide. The untold story of the strong bond between Anju and Lakshanasree unravelled after photographs of the victims came to light, many days after their bodies were recovered.
Idukki information office assistant editor NB Biju said, “When VM Madusoodanan, the liaison officer of the Idukki district police chief, sent a group of pictures of the victims, one picture showed two bodies hugging each other. When I asked the police officer where he got the picture, he said it was received from a Marayoor native. Later, I contacted that person and he said that it was received from a worker in Kanan Devan Hills Plantations (KDHP) Company.”
“After two days of inquiry, on Wednesday the residents from other layams told Udya Ravi, information assistant of the Idukki PRD, about the personal bond between Anju and Lakshanasree,” said Biju.
Anjumol had secured a job at SNDP Yogam College in Adimali and was waiting to join soon, the COVID-19 pandemic having delayed her joining. She had completed BEd in Tamil from a college in Palakkad’s Chittur and wanted to work as a teacher. Lakshanasree was a student at the Tamil medium school at Rajamala. After school, she would visit Anjumol, who would help her with her studies. Lakshanasree’s parents were also happy about the bond between the duo. Every night Lakshanasree would go to Anjumol’s house, where they would sleep together. On their last day too, they slept hugging each other.
The horrifying landslide occurred in the early hours of August 7, when 30 houses in Pettimudi’s four tea estate layams went under. As per data from KDHP Company, there were 82 people living in the layams. Only 12 people have been rescued.
On Thursday, rescue workers discovered the body of a child who had gone missing in the landslide. The deceased has been identified as 15-year-old Koushika. With this, the total death toll has risen to 63, with seven people still missing. Koushika’s body was found 14 km from the landslide spot, at a place named Poothakuzhi along a river bank. Rescue workers have now extended the search to 10 km from the landslide hit spot, which is a dense forest region. After a leopard was spotted in the area during the search, the rescue work was delayed.