CHENNAI: Stricken by grief over her son's drowning in a temple pond on Sunday, a woman pushed her 14-year-old daughter in front of an express train and also jumped in front of the same train while her husband had gone to immerse their son’s ashes in the sea.
The police identified the deceased as Jayalakshmi (36), wife of Senthilkumar (40) of Kongarai Mampattu village in Acharapakkam, and their daughter Padmavathi.
The couple’s younger son, Purushothaman (11), a Class 6 student, went fishing in a temple pond on Sunday. Officials said he slipped and drowned in the pond, and his funeral took place that same evening. On Monday morning, Senthilkumar carried his son's ashes to the seashore to perform the final rites and immerse it in the sea.
While he was away, Jayalakshmi took Padmavathi, a Class 8 student, to the railway tracks near Karisangal near Acharapakkam. The police said she pushed her daughter onto the tracks before lying down herself in front of the Chennai-Puducherry Express. Both were crushed and died on the spot.
Railway and police officials sent the bodies to the Maduranthagam GH for autopsy. Senthilkumar returned home after performing the rituals only to find the house locked, and later got information about the death of his wife and daughter.
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