BERHAMPUR: A young woman and a teenaged boy allegedly died by suicide after consuming pesticide near Palukhala village in the Taptapani forest area along the Ganjam-Gajapati border on Tuesday.
The deceased were identified as Santoshini Sethi (22) of Palashpur under Pattapur police limits and Bhagaban Sethi (18) of Padmanabhpur under Digapahandi police limits. Police said the two visited Taptapani in the morning before heading to the forest near Palukhala around noon. They reportedly consumed pesticide in the forest in the evening.
Passersby found Bhagaban near the roadside writhing in pain. He told the passersby Santoshini was lying nearby. They informed the police, following which a team led by Podamari outpost in-charge Prabhat Kumar Balikana shifted Bhagaban to the Digapahandi community health centre.
Police searched the forest with the help of locals and located Santoshini, who was also rushed to the health centre. Doctors declared both dead on arrival.
Police said the two had been in a relationship for around two years after meeting while studying Plus II at a college in Sanakhemundi. Bhagaban, the only son of his parents, was pursuing a diploma course in Berhampur and also worked as an electrical equipment repairer. His father works as a labourer outside the state.
Santoshini had been staying at home after completing her studies and her father works as a mason in Bhubaneswar, police added.
Police learnt Bhagaban had allegedly attempted to hang himself at home about a year ago but was rescued by his family.
Pattapur police registered separate unnatural death cases based on complaints lodged by Bhagaban’s elder sister, and Santoshini’s mother, IIC Dipti Ranjan Behera said. The bodies were sent to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur for postmortem.
The reason for the the deaths is yet to be ascertained, police said.
(Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on helpline 104 or Tele MANAS 14416)