“Lavanya told her uncle that she was forced to convert”: Lavanya’s maternal grandmother reveals

The suicide case of the 17-yr-old Lavanya from Thanjavur which is now being handled by the CBI is seeing developments every other day.

While the case was transferred to the CBI by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, the Tamil Nadu government had appealed to the Supreme Court, against the transfer. However, recently the Supreme Court upheld the Madras High Court’s order. The Supreme Court  said that it will not interfere in the ongoing CBI probe in the case. The apex court also said that the CBI is to very much look into, or probe the forced conversion angle of the case as well.

Lavanya, who was studying in class 12 at Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School in Michaelpatti near Thanjavur, committed suicide by drinking pesticide after she was allegedly tortured to convert to Christianity by the school. Lavanya’s parents alleged that there was an attempt to forcefully convert their child and become a nun which the child had rejected and hence was subject to torture.

Meanwhile, the YouTube channel Chanakyaa has released another interview with Lavanya’s maternal grandmother Mangayarkarasi, who is the mother of Lavanya’s birth mother, Kanimozhi. Mangayarkarasi reveals more about Kanimozhi and her relationship with her family, till her death.

“Kanimozhi would send her children to school and she would also leave for work. I only educated her until 10th standard, but she went used to practice agriculture after her marriage to Muruganandham,” she said. The Police have also enquired with Mangayakarasi’s older sister, who is in Coimbatore.

Speaking about that enquiry, Mangayakarasi said, “Initially an officer called Saravanan came to enquire us. I told them that I do not know anything related to the case. Another lady officer took us to investigate us. As I was a little tight-lipped, they started enquiring my sister’s husband who was in Coimbatore. She then called me and asked me to tell them what I know.”

Only Lavanya’s testimony video, and her foster mother Saranya’s interview gives evidence to the conversion angle of the case, so far. Lavanya’s maternal grandmother Mangayakarasi and her 2nd maternal unce visited her when she was admitted to the Thanjavur hospital.  Speaking about Lavanya’s statements when they visited her, she said, “Lavanya confessed to her uncle that she consumed poison only because they forced her to convert to Christianity.”

While the High Court transferred the case to the CBI on January 31, according to Mangayakarasi, the Police have continued to pay her house a visit, up until February 10, the day the interview was taken. She also told that the Police have come in ‘Mufti’ or non-uniform. She also said that almost everyday 4-5 policemen would come to their house and conduct the same enquiry, even after the case was transferred. An SI was mostly accompanied by 2-3 constables, who all came in varied times, and asked them the same questions, again and again.

Some questions have been raised from this interview. Firstly, who investigated Mangayakarasi’s sister and why? Secondly, was Lavanya’s uncle’s testimony enquired and taken into consideration, given that the child opened up about conversion to him? Thirdly, why did the Police officials continue to investigate the grandmother, even after the case was transferred to the CBI?

The Chanakyaa team also spoke to the doctor who treated Lavanya’s skin disease. While speaking about the treatment he gave, the doctor has revealed that he was unaware that Saranya was Lavanya’s foster mother, until the reporters revealed the information to him. He also said Saranya treated Lavanya like her own daughter, because he never doubted their relationship. Lavanya’s first younger brother also said that they shared a good relationship, and that Lavanya couldn’t speak to them only when she came home from hostel days before her death.

(With inputs from Chanakyaa)