Debt burden: Couple poisons kin to death, ends life

The deceased were identified as Karikalan (46), his wife Muniammal (45) and the latter’s brother Arumugam (50). The police said that Karikalan, a fisherman, obtained a loan of Rs 7 lakh for his daughter’s marriage a few years back and could not repay it after he became partially paralysed. Karikalan’s son Hariharan had allegedly opposed his decision to sell the house to settle the loan and left them three months back to stay in a rented premise. The couple stayed with Muniammal’s brother Arumugam, who is mentally challenged.

While Karikalam sold the house and paid advance for a rental house in Triplicane, the couple is said to have been upset over having sold the house.

Meanwhile, their neighbour entered their house as it remained open on Saturday morning and found Arumugam with froth in his mouth. He was shocked to find the couple hanging in different rooms and alerted the police control room.

On information, MKB Nagar police retrieved their bodies and sent them to Government Stanley Hospital for post-mortem. A case has been registered and further investigation is on.

After preliminary inquiries, police said that the couple must have poisoned Arumugam to death before hanging themselves. The police said that the neighbours saw the couple chatting till 5 am.