KOCHI: They were in a relationship for years and even managed to overcome opposition from their families before finally getting married. But within a month, they decided to separate. This is the story of a couple — the woman belonging to Kozhikode and the man from Thrissur — who studied engineering together in college.

His academic brilliance attracted her and what began as a friendship eventually blossomed into a marital relationship. Being a lone child, he was used to listening only to his mother. The woman, however, was quite possessive and small disagreements soon turned into arguments. Now over 27, they are living separately.

Theirs is a pointer to a stark reality: divorce cases have been on the rise in Kerala for the past several years. According to an RTI reply obtained by TNIE from the Kerala High Court, 30,781 divorce petitions were filed in 2022. In 2023, the number rose to 33,535, while in 2024 the figure stood at 30,647.

As of June 2025, as many as 9,199 cases have already been filed. And as of June 30, the number of divorce cases pending in family courts across the state is 38,067. Of that, the Thiruvananthapuram family court tops the list with 3,307 cases, followed by the Vadakara family court (2,322) and the Attingal family court (2,241).

Experts note that nowadays even minor issues can escalate into major problems between couples. At the same time, some argue that it is better to walk away from a life filled with constant conflict. The increasing number of cases, they say, is also evidence that women’s right to self-determination is being recognised.