Woman who lost 9 family members in Wayanad landslide begins new chapter, gets married

S Shruthi, who lost her family and her home in the catastrophic landslides in Keralam's Wayanad district in 2024, began a new chapter on Saturday as she got married at the Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple.

Shruthi lost nine members of her family, including her parents and younger sister, in the landslides that struck Chooralmala and Mundakkai villages of Wayanad on July 30, 2024.

Her fiancé, Jenson, with whom she got engaged in June, later died in a road accident in September that year.

Shruthi tied the knot with Sandeep, a native of Mananthavady, on Saturday morning in the presence of her surviving relatives, friends and public representatives, reported news agency PTI.

CPI MLA and former minister K Rajan, who coordinated the rehabilitation efforts during the landslides, was also present on the occasion.

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Speaking to reporters, Shruthi said she was happy about the occasion. "He came forward to accept me after knowing everything about my life. I pray that we live a happy life together," she said, thanking everyone who supported her.

Rajan expressed happiness for Shruthi and highlighted the LDF government's support for her after the tragedy. "This is a happy moment for everyone. We stood by her during her difficult times. I am happy that I could be part of this crucial moment in her life," he said.

Shruthi's tragic life

The tragic story of Shruthi, 24, an accountant at a hospital in Kozhikode district, touched people across Keralam after she lost her family of nine two years ago. Shruthi lost around ₹4 lakh in cash and around 15 ‘sovereigns’ of gold, along with her newly built home that was destroyed in the Wayanad disaster.

Her only support during those times was Jenson, with whom she got engaged on June 2, 2024 after a 10-year-long courtship.

The couple had visited the Puthumala graveyard on August 29, where some of her family were buried, and had reaffirmed their commitment to each other. They were initially set to get married in December, but opted for a simple court-registered marriage in September.

However, before they could go ahead, Jenson got critically injured when his vehicle collided head-on with a bus on September 10 that year and later succumbed to his injuries.

Shruthi and some other family members of Jenson were also injured in the accident.

Considering her hardship, the state government appointed her as a clerk in the Revenue Department. Her husband Sandeep also works as a government employee at the Wayanad Collectorate.