BENGALURU: A 31-year woman software engineer died by suicide by jumping from an upscale apartment complex on Thanisandra Main Road in Kothanur police limits on Monday morning, moments after seeing her live-in partner hanging dead in their flat.
The man, R Bhanu Chander Reddy Kunta, 32, was working in the US in the software industry and is suspected to have lost his job to Artificial Intelligence (AI). He had returned to India in June last year. He and his live-in partner, M Bibi Shaziya, 31, were living in Nikoo Homes Bhartiya City since August.
Both were from Telangana – Kunta from Siddipet district and Shaziya from Medchal.
Kunta, who was severely depressed over not finding a job, is suspected to have hanged himself on Sunday. Shaziya, who had gone to see her mother, returned on Monday. When he did not open the door, she got it opened with the help of security guards and saw Kunta hanging from the ceiling. Immediately after, she went to the 11th floor and jumped to her death, the police said.
Techies’ suicide: They might have married nine years ago
Kunta has left behind a suicide note in which he has blamed himself for the extreme step. He has specifically mentioned that Shaziya had nothing to do with his suicide.
Shaziya was working in Hyderabad when Kunta returned from the US. The duo moved into the flat in Bharatiya City in August and Shaziya then took up a job in the city. He was said to be severely depressed as he could not find a job, taking a toll on his health.
“Both were said to be classmates, and their families did not know about their relationship. We are not ruling out the possibility of them having registered their marriage nine years ago, even as Shaziya’s family was looking for alliances.
She had gone to see her mother last week and when she returned on Monday, Kunta did not open the door, nor did he respond to her calls. She got the door of the flat opened with the help of security guards and saw Kunta hanging dead. Within the next few minutes she jumped to her death,” a police officer said. The police have registered two separate cases of unnatural death.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, there is someone. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (24x7) or Call, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences’ helpline - 02225521111, (available Mon to Sat (8 am-10 pm).