VIRUDHUNAGAR: It was almost 9 pm on Thursday when Murugesan received a phone call from his nephew, who returned from Muscat a year ago. Though he expected a casual catch-up, the call turned out to be one made from his nephew's deathbed.
Janardhanaraja (51), a native of Rajapalayam, was working in the construction sector in Muscat. Due to the pandemic, he returned to Coimbatore a year ago with his wife Kalavathi (45) and their 15-year-old son. When he tried to return to his job in Muscat, he was deemed medically unfit to return due to diabetes. This reportedly pushed him and his wife into a depression.
Janardhanaraja arrived with his family at his native Rajapalayam on Wednesday night and checked in at a lodge. The next night, the trio allegedly consumed poison. Subsequently, Janardhanaraja called his maternal uncle Murugesan (67) and informed him of what had happened.
Murugesan rushed to the spot and reportedly found Kalavathi and the boy unconscious. Janardhanaraja is said to have told Murugesan that they took the decision due to chronic stress. The trio were taken to the Rajapalayam Government Hospital. While Kalavathi and her son were declared "dead on arrival", Janardhananraja died without responding to the treatment. Based on Murugesan's complaint, an FIR has been registered.
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