Debt forces Nagercoil businessman, three family members to end life

KANYAKUMARI: Heavy loss and debt forced a businessman and three of his family members to commit suicide at Nagercoil in Kanyakumari district .


The bodies of Subramani, 50, of Vanjimarthandan Pudhu Theur at Vadaserey in Nagercoil, his wife Hema, 48, daughter Shivani, 20, and mother Rukmani, 72, were found in their home on Saturday morning.

Shivani was studying homeopathy in a college at Kulasekaram .

Assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Nagercoil sub-division G Jawahar, who visited the spot and conducted preliminary inquiries, told TOI that Subramani was into various businesses including wholesale of biscuit, cigarette and satellite television connection.

On Saturday morning, as Subramani did not turn up at his agency, the employees tried reaching him over phone. Since the call was not answered one of the employees went to Subramani’s house to collect the key. However, he found the door locked from inside and tried calling Subramani and other family members, but in vain.

Growing suspicious, the employee alerted relatives of the family. They broke open the door and found four of them lying motionless in a bedroom. They also found a bottle of poison next to them.

“It appears to be a case of suicide due to debt and loss in the business. We are unable to ascertain if it is a case of usury as we have not found any (suicide) note despite searching the house,” the ASP said.

The Vadaserey police were conducting inquiries to find out from whom the family had borrowed money.

Police also said that they did not receive any complaints of usury or pressure from lenders.

Police said the relatives quizzed so far were also unaware of the debts. Further search is on in the house to find any documents that has a mention of the nature and volume of debts. Bodies of the four were sent to the government medical college and hospital at Asaripallam for postmortem.