VILLUPURAM: Two young girls were found dead along the shores near Marakkanam in Villupuram district on Friday, raising suspicions that they may have been killed by their father, who has gone missing.
Police sources said that they are not ruling out the possibility that the father may have drowned himself along with his daughters.
According to the police, Anand Velu, a 33-year-old fisherman from the Koonimedu area near Marakkanam, had recently moved to the tsunami housing area in Kalapet, Puducherry, with his family.
Last week, Velu had a dispute with his wife, Kausalya. Following the altercation, Velu took their two daughters, Jovitha (4 years old) and Sasimitha (18 months old), and left for Koonimedu on Wednesday.
On Thursday afternoon, Velu reportedly took his daughters to the beach, but they did not return home. On Friday morning, the body of Sasimitha was found washed ashore at Koonimedu beach. Similarly, Jovitha's body was discovered at Anumandai Kuppam beach. Residents informed the Marakkanam police, who arrived at the scene and sent the bodies for post-mortem.
Velu's whereabouts remain unknown. The police are investigating whether he drowned along with his children due to a family dispute or if he is still alive. The Marakkanam police have registered a case in this regard.
(Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on Tamil Nadu’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)