TN: Woman in debt trap kills 2 kids, attempts suicide in Cuddalore
CUDDALORE (TN): Unable to repay loans worth Rs 45,000, a widowed mother pushed her two children into a well and jumped in, at Thimmarowthankuppam near Cuddalore on Monday morning. While residents pulled the mother out safely, the children had died by the time help reached.
Sources said Saibabu (35) was the widow of Venkatesan, of Gothandaramapuram near Cuddalore Old Town. After Venkatesan’s death two years ago, she had to look after two children — Koshan Priyan (8) and Gokulan (7), who were studying in a government middle school at Thondamanatham.According to the police, Saibabu was a member of a self-help group and had borrowed money from three private financial institutions. In total, she had to repay Rs 45,000. “The collection agents of the private firms were exerting pressure on her, urging her to repay the dues,” said a source in the police department.
The woman had gone to stay at a relative’s house at Thimmarowthankuppam a few days ago. This was because she feared action from the money lenders and also the other members of the self-help group, according to sources.“Some of the debtors found out the relative’s place and reached there to intimidate her on Sunday. They reportedly yelled at her, insisting that she pay her due of Rs 3,000 by Monday.
On Monday at around 6.30 am, Saibabu left the relative’s house with her children, saying she was taking them to their school. As she was walking along the road, she suddenly pushed the children into a well on a nearby farm and followed them in.
A passerby saw the act and raised an alarm. Some of the residents jumped in and pulled up the mother and children, but the children had both died by then.The bodies were taken to the government hospital at Kurinjipadi for post-mortem.
After medical care, Kullanchavadi police took Saibabu into custody. Based on a complaint from her father-in-law Srinivasan, a case of murder was registered. Inquiries were on.