Ex-govt pleader, out on bail, ends life post 2nd rape charge

T'puram: A former govt pleader, who quit the post following a rape allegation and was out on bail, died by suicide on Sunday at a house in Anandavalleeshwaram, Kollam on Sunday following another rape charge. PG Manu, 55, ended his life soon after a video of him and his family members apologising to a woman in a sexual assault allegation surfaced on social media and went viral quickly.
According to the police, Manu, son of PG Gopalan of Padmalayam near Mammalassery at Ramamangalam near Piravom in Ernakulam, was upset as he faced scathing criticism on social media after thousands watched and shared the video.
Manu ended his life at a house hired by criminal lawyer BA Aloor behind Anandavalleeshwaram temple for his official purposes. He reached Kollam on Friday to attend the trial in the Vandana Das murder case.
Manu was accused in 2023 of raping a woman, who was a survivor in a rape case, at his flat in Kadavanthra and also at her house. The woman registered a case at Chottanikkara police station. He obtained bail in the case a few months ago but a new rape allegation surfaced against him.
To settle the case, the deceased and his family apologised to the victim after visiting her house at Onakkoor near Piravom. However, someone recorded a video of the apology and shared it online. The video went viral within minutes and he was upset over it. There was no case registered at any police station over the second rape allegation.
At 8am on Sunday, Manu was served tea by a person living downstairs. His junior advocates tried to contact him by phone later to discuss a case, but he was unavailable. One of them soon reached the house around noon to check whether he was there or not. His colleagues broke open the door and was found him hanging. Kollam West police registered a case under section 194 of BNS for unnatural death.