The main accused in the sensational Koodathayi cyanide murders, Jolly Thomas, attempted to commit suicide at a Kerala prison by cutting her wrist veins, Manoramaonline reported. The publication noted that the wound wasn't deep and officials expected her to make a full recovery soon. She is currently admitted at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.
The case had come into spotlight after six members of an extended family in Kerala's Koodathayi were found dead over a period of 2002-2016. It was later found they were murders over a gory family dispute. Jolly Thomas, wife of Roy Thomas who died in 2011, allegedly admitted to the murders of retired educational department officer P. Tom Thomas (66) his wife Annamma (57) son Roy Thomas (40) wife of Tom Thomas's brother's son Shaju Skaria, Sily Shaju (44) her two-year-old daughter Alphine, and Annamma's brother Mathew Manjadiyil (68).
On August 22, 2002, retired schoolteacher Annamma collapsed after consuming mutton soup. She had foam coming out of her mouth, and died before reaching the hospital. On August 26, 2008, after consuming mashed tapioca, Tom Thomas vomited and collapsed. His son Roy's wife Jolly was the only person present in the house at the time. On September 9, 2011, Roy Thomas had food soon after returning home and rushed to the washroom, where he vomited and collapsed. His wife Jolly and daughter were the only ones with him in the house at the time. On February 24, 2014, Mathew Manjadiyil was alone at his home when he collapsed and died. Jolly, who stayed nearby, alerted neighbours who found Mathew lying on the floor with foam coming out of his mouth. On May 3, 2014, Alphine Shaju consumed meat and bread on the day of her brother's first holy communion and lost consciousness. On January 11, 2016, Sily Shaju, mother of late Alphine Shaju, had reached Thamarasserry along with Jolly after attending a relative's marriage. She collapsed on to her lap with foam coming out of her mouth. One year after his first wife Sily’s death, on February 6, 2017, Shaju, now an accused, married Jolly despite opposition from family.
