In Ziro town of Arunachal Pradesh, three individuals from Kerala—a married couple and their friend—were discovered deceased in a hotel room on Tuesday. Police indicated that initially, it seemed the trio had bled to death from cuts on their wrists and a note was recovered from the scene. The couple, Naveen Thomas (35) and Devi Thomas (35), hailed from Kottayam district and worked as Ayurveda doctors. Their friend, Arya B Nair (29), a school teacher from Thiruvananthapuram, accompanied them on the trip, according to several media reports.
According to Superintendent of Police Keni Bagra of Lower Subansiri district, the trio arrived at the hotel on March 28 and have shared a room since then. Prior to their arrival in Arunachal Pradesh, Arya was reported missing by relatives on March 27. It was later discovered that Arya had travelled with Naveen and Devi from Kerala to Guwahati before ending up in Arunachal Pradesh, the reports mentioned.
Hotel staff observed the three moving around until March 31. However, on April 1, they were not seen, prompting staff to investigate. Upon receiving no response to calls or knocks, the staff entered the room to find them deceased. Subsequently, the local police were notified.
In Kerala, cultural activist Soorya Krishnamoorthy revealed that Devi’s father, Balan Madhavan, believed the deaths were due to black magic. He described the deceased as well-educated and well-settled individuals. Monichan Kizhakkedam, the president of Meenadom panchayat in Kottayam, disclosed that the couple had abandoned their Ayurveda practice for online trading. Additionally, it was revealed that Naveen and Devi were involved in black magic.
A case of unnatural death has been registered by the Arunachal Pradesh police. The recovered note contained a phone number linking to the couple’s family. SP Keni Bagra emphasised that the motive behind their presence in Arunachal Pradesh is under investigation.
