A 75-year-old woman, V. Chellammal of Sedapatti, died after she reportedly consumed poison along with her son V. Ramar (55) and his wife R. Chellammal in the early hours of Monday.
The couple have been admitted to Government Rajaji Hospital here. The police said that the trio, who were living in a small house in a farm at K. Andipatti, were missing after the house went up in fire on Sunday night.
“Local people and firemen put out the flames. However, the trio were missing from the house. Repeated attempts to call Ramar’s mobile phone, which was ringing, failed in the night,” Deputy Superintendent of Police (Peraiyur) T. Mathiazhagan said.
Ramar’s two sons, who are married and living separately, also searched for their parents and grandmother.
Around 2 a.m. on Monday, Ramar had called his daughter Karupayee and informed her that all the three consumed poison and were lying in a nearby irrigation tank.
They were found amidst thorny bushes some 500 metres away from their farm and were rushed to Usilampatti Government Hospital. “The mother died at the hospital,” the DSP said.
He added that Ramar’s wife suffered from chronic low blood pressure and used to faint often. The police suspect that the couple and her mother decided to end their lives. Police are also investigating the cause of the fire at the farm house.
Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on State’s health helpline 104 and Chennai-based Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.
