CHENNAI: Four members of a family, including an elderly couple, were hospitalised after an alleged suicide bid at Nanmangalam near Pallikaranai on Wednesday. The victims were identified as Balaji (35), a vegetable trader, his wife Priya (30), his father Srinivasan (60), and mother Padmavathi (52).
Police said employees at Balaji’s shop grew suspicious when he failed to open the establishment as usual on Wednesday morning. After waiting for several hours, they went to his house nearby and found all four relatives unconscious inside the house.
Police suspected that Balaji fed the family members milk laced with drugs before consuming it himself. The victims were rushed to a 108 ambulance to the Tambaram District GH, where they are being treated.
Preliminary inquiries indicated that the family had been under emotional and financial stress. A case has been registered and further investigation is under way.
(Help for those with suicidal thoughts is available on TN helpline 104 & Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050).