The Kerala government today said it has taken a serious view of suicides of 45 tribals at nearby Palode area since 2012 and that the reasons behind the deaths would be probed.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated this in the assembly in reply to a query during the Question Hour.
The issue of the suicides of tribals between 2012-17 was brought to the notice of the House by former Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Caste and Tribes A P Anilkumar (Congress).
Forty-three persons were found hanging, one was found dead withpoison in his body and another found dead with burn injuries, he said.
The deaths came to light after an enquiry into the alleged suicide of a woman last week, Anilkumar said and demanded a probe into it.
The continuing suicides in the area had 'somehow' not come to the notice of successive governments, State Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Caste and Tribes A K Balan said, adding that the reasons behind the deaths had to be ascertained.
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