COIMBATORE: A 33-year-old woman allegedly died by suicide while her elder brother, who also attempted to end his life, is battling for life at the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH).
The deceased has been identified as R Samshad Beham from Thoraipakkam in Kancheepuram. Her elder brother R Ibrahim Basha (45) was a driver and owned a taxi. Police said the siblings took the extreme step due to the mental trauma caused by obesity.
They were suffering from obesity as they weighed around 150 kg and took treatment to reduce their weight at various places. They lost their parents due to Covid-19 in 2022 and have been living alone since then. Beham and Basha visited Coimbatore in January to take Ayurveda treatment for weight loss. They were staying at a hotel in Gandhipuram.
The police said the siblings had incurred a huge expense on their treatment for which they sold their properties, including the car owned by Basha. The loneliness, along with health issues made them depressed, an investigation officer said.
On Friday midnight, they both attempted suicide. On Saturday morning, the hotel staff discovered Beham’s body. Meanwhile, the police found Basha in an unconscious state on the roadside. He was admitted to CMCH for treatment. A case was booked under section 194 of BNSS and further probe is on.
(Assistance for those with suicidal thoughts is available on health department’s helpline 104)