Forty-seven-year-old Jolly Thomas was popular among other people of her parish and led a fairly hectic social life in Kerala’s Kozhikode.
Jolly maintained a close bond with the local parishioners and other sections of the society. She was at the forefront of many other social dos as well. Once a cultural club invited her as the chief guest for one of their events.
People in her parish said she was religious and never missed the Sunday mass and other functions.
One of her family members, P Elizabeth, recalled that Jolly appeared composed while attending the funeral of one of her family members. She, in fact, led the post-burial ceremonies without giving away anything, she said.
Jolly managed to dodge the law and her relatives’ questions for the last 14 years. It ended on Saturday when Jolly and two others were arrested for allegedly killing six people with cyanide-laced food over the span of more than one decade.
Police have said the murders took place between 2002 and 2016, and were well-planned and executed.
Jolly mother-in-law Anamma Thomas was the first one to die in 2002; her father-in-law Tom Thomas was allegedly killed in 2008, her first husband Roy Thomas in 2011 and the brother of Anamma, Mathew Manjadiyil, in 2014. Two years later, another relative, Sily, and her one-year-old child died under similarly mysterious circumstances.
“Good that at least we arrested her now,” said Kozhikode’s rural superintendent of police KG Simon said after her arrest.
Simon, who supervised the investigation, said Jolly had planned to carry out two more such “silent killings” in the family.
Fake job, fake ID
She even passed herself off as a professor at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Calicut. When one of her relatives tried to crosscheck her claim and went to NIT, he found her at the library sitting among fat books.
She always ensured her physical presence at NIT when her family or friends wanted to meet her on the campus.
Police later found that Jolly, a commerce graduate, was using a fake entry card of the premier technology institute.
She even explained away the fact that she owned a beauty parlour in Mukkom, a small town in Kozhikode district, by telling others it was just one of her hobbies.
Jolly’s son from her earlier marriage with Roy Thomas, Romo Roy, said he did not believe that his mother acted alone.
“A crime is a crime. But it is hard to believe a woman did everything all alone. We hope all accused will be brought to justice,” Romo, a hotel management student, said.
Similarly, Roy’s sister Renji Thomas also said more people were involved in the grisly crimes. Reports have said Jolly also tried to target Renji on a couple of times but missed.
Police arrested her second husband Shaju Scaria on Monday. His arrest came after Jolly told the police that Shaju was aware of the last two murders in 2016. He was detained earlier but let off for want of evidence.
A police inspector, who allegedly helped Jolly manage the crimes, was summoned for questioning. A CPI(M) leader was also questioned by the police. Officials said the probe team will serve notices to five other police and revenue officials.
Police suspect Jolly’s extramarital affairs and her greed for family property led her to the murders.
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