Wayanad Tragedy: Widow Ends Life as Israel Death Mystery Lingers

New Delhi, January 03, 2026: In a heart-wrenching escalation of an already grim tragedy, a 32-year-old woman from Kerala’s Wayanad district has reportedly died by suicide, months after her husband was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Israel.

The woman, identified as Reshma, a native of Koleri, breathed her last at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode on Wednesday. Her death comes five months after the passing of her husband, Jinesh P. Sukumaran (38), whose death in a foreign land remains shrouded in unanswered questions and legal delays.

A Dream Turned Into a Nightmare

Jinesh, a former medical representative from Koliyadi near Sultan Bathery, had moved to Israel in May 2025 to work as a caregiver. Like many from Kerala, his migration was fueled by the hope of clearing financial liabilities incurred during the construction of the family’s new home.

However, just two months into his new life, the tragedy struck. In July 2025, Jinesh was found dead in an apartment in Mevaseret Zion, a town on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The discovery was grisly:

• The Scene: Jinesh was found hanging in a room.
• The Employer: The 80-year-old woman he was employed to care for was found dead in an adjacent room with multiple stab wounds.
• The Survivor: The woman’s bedridden husband, whom Jinesh was also looking after, survived the incident.

While initial reports from Israeli authorities leaned toward a murder-suicide theory, Jinesh’s family and the local Malayali community in Israel have consistently contested this. Relatives point to the lack of a motive and reports of a possible robbery at the residence, where several items were allegedly missing.

The Weight of Unanswered Questions

For Reshma, the past five months were a relentless pursuit of the truth. Despite undergoing counseling sessions and receiving support from her community, she was reportedly consumed by grief and the frustration of a stalled investigation.

“She never believed that her husband took the extreme step after killing the aged woman,” said Suja James, a former panchayat member. “She sent several emails to the Indian Embassy and the Israeli government, but the only response was that the matter was ‘before the court’.”

Friends noted that Reshma had turned her front room into a memorial, displaying nearly 15 framed photographs of her husband, unable to reconcile with the official narrative of his death. The emotional strain was compounded by the fact that the family was unlikely to receive compensation from the Israeli government due to the “suicide” classification of the case.

A Community in Mourning

The double tragedy has left the couple’s 10-year-old daughter, Aaradhya, orphaned. The child is currently under the care of relatives as the community in Wayanad grapples with the loss.

Local ward members and neighbors described the family as hardworking and soft-spoken. “I had promised her help to find a job to help her move on,” said A.V. Jayan, a local ward member. “But the uncertainty and the stigma surrounding the incident in Israel were too much for her to bear.”

Investigation Status

While the Kerala Police have registered a case of unnatural death regarding Reshma’s passing, the mystery in Israel remains stagnant. The Indian Embassy in Israel has maintained that the investigation is ongoing within the Israeli judicial system, but the lack of a transparent breakthrough continues to haunt the family.