Kerala: Man, who published his own obituary in newspapers, held by police

The news item, that came out the next day in papers, said Joseph ‘died’ while undergoing treatment at the Regional Cancer Centre in Thiruvananthapuram. The obituary spoke of Joseph’s agricultural accomplishments and said his last rites will be conducted on December 1 after being placed for public homage at his son Shiju Joseph’s home in Thiruvananthapuram.

A shocked family, however, lodged a missing complaint at the local Thaliparambu police station denying reports of Joseph’s death.

On Tuesday, Joseph was picked up by police from a private hotel in Kottayam. Earlier in the day, he had visited a bank inquiring whether he could send some gold ornaments and money to his wife. He posed as a relative of the ‘dead’ Joseph. After the bank secretary contacted his counterpart in Kannur and realized that it was Joseph himself sitting before him, Joseph lied and slipped out. He was later held by the police through the bank officials.

“We don’t know why he (Joseph) published news of his death. According to his wife, he is a cancer patient. We will bring him to Kannur and produce him before the magistrate. We have to find out why he did this,” said PK Sudhakaran, circule inspector of Thaliparambu police station.