24-year-old woman found dead in river after wedding called off

 

By Sagaya Fernando| October 15, 2026

Kannur, Kerala, INDIA: A 24-year-old woman was found dead in the Perumba River in Kerala’s Kannur district on Tuesday October 13 morning, hours after she went missing following a counselling session with her fiancé over differences that had reportedly led to the cancellation of their planned wedding.

The deceased has been identified as C. Sruthi (24), a resident of Kanayi Mukkoodu in Payyannur and daughter of the late Chandran and Janaki. She was employed at a shopping mall in Payyannur.

According to relatives, Sruthi's marriage to a young man identified as Akhil, also from Payyannur, had been arranged several months earlier. However, differences reportedly developed between the couple, following which the prospective groom allegedly withdrew from the marriage.

In an attempt to resolve the dispute, Sruthi and Akhil attended a counselling session at a centre in Koorkkara, Korom, around 4 pm on Monday. Sruthi was accompanied by her aunt Sulekha, while Akhil's uncle Suresh was also present.

During the counselling session, Sruthi reportedly stepped outside, took her scooter and left the premises without informing anyone. When she failed to return home that evening, her family became concerned and began searching for her.

Her uncle, M. Sreedharan, subsequently lodged a missing person complaint with the Payyannur police.

Later that night, Sruthi's scooter was found abandoned near Thanal Eco Park on Rotary Club Road in Chittarikkoval. Her footwear was also discovered nearby, raising fears that she might have jumped into the Perumba River.

Following the discovery, personnel from the Payyannur Fire Station, assisted by a scuba diving team, launched a search operation in the Perumba-Chittarikkoval river stretch. Despite efforts continuing into the night, rescuers were unable to locate her.

The search resumed on Tuesday morning, and her body was recovered from the river near Thanal Eco Park at approximately 11.15 am.

Relatives alleged that Sruthi had been emotionally distressed after her fiancé reportedly backed out of the marriage. They suspect that the breakdown of the relationship and the subsequent cancellation of the wedding may have contributed to her death.

However, the exact circumstances leading to the incident have yet to be established.

Sruthi is survived by her mother, Janaki, and sister, Sreelakshmi.