KOCHI: Three members of a family died by suicide at Vennala in Kochi early on Monday, leaving a daughter and a son orphaned, police said.
The deceased have been identified as Girija, 62, her daughter Rajitha, 38, and Rajitha's husband Prasanth, 43. The incident came to light when the children of the Prasanth-Rajitha couple -- a 12-year-old daughter and a seven-year-old son -- alerted the neighbours of the incident, the police said.
The police have recovered a suicide note which stated that debt of over Rs 1 crore forced them to take the extreme step. According to the police, Rajitha died from consuming poison. She was found dead on the first floor of the house. Girija and Prasanth died by hanging on the ground floor.
"The incident came to light when the children informed their neighbours about the incident. The suicide note that was recovered from the house said that it is a clear case of suicide. But we need to probe other theories. We will also investigate their financial issues," said a police officer with Palarivattom station.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 9152987821, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm).