NAMAKKAL: Two women, aged 23 and 20, ended their lives here on Saturday, allegedly fearing they would be separated as the latter's marriage had been fixed recently.
According to Elachipalyam police, N Jothi (23), a resident of Periyamanali near Elachipalyam in Namakkal district, recently separated from her husband a few months ago due to family dispute and was staying at her grandmother's house with her three-year-old daughter.
After she separated from her husband, Jothi started working for a daily wage at a power loom unit in Periya Manali. There she met S Priya (20) of Kottapalayam. The two soon became very close friends and police believe they may have been in a relationship.
However, Priya's parents fixed her marriage for May 27. The two women were reportedly upset and afraid that they might not be able to meet after Priya got married.
On Saturday afternoon, police said Priya went to Jothi's house. A bit later, when Priya's brother Anbarasu went to Jothi's home in search of his sister, he found the front door shut. He looked through the window and found both women dead, apparently having committed suicide, police said.
Shocked, he alerted Elachipalyam police, who came to the spot and sent the bodies to Tiruchengode Government Hospital for postmortem. Police registered a case and are investigating.
Namakkal District Superintendent of Police (SP) R Arularasu told New Indian Express that it appeared that the women had ended their lives out of fear that they might be separated. He added that no suicide note was found in the house.
Suicide Prevention Helplines:
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre: 044 2464 0050
Jeevan Suicide Prevention Hotline: 044 2656 4444