COIMBATORE: A Namakkal couple ended their life by consuming poison as they were burdened by debt and suffered from severe health issues.

Gunasekaran (57), a lorry driver from Rajiv Gandhi Nagar near Mudalaipatti, and his wife Chandrakala (48) took the extreme step on Tuesday night. Police said Gunasekaran, an alcoholic, was unable to go to work due to health issues, while his wife, Chandrakala, headed a self-help group (SHG)and suffered from asthma.

Both were under severe medication and also burdened by mounting debt. The depressed couple had consumed poison on Tuesday night. As the house remained closed on Wednesday morning, the neighbours had gone inside to check and were shocked to find the couple lying dead.

A police team from Namakkal station arrived and sent the bodies of the couple for a post-mortem at Namakkal Government Medical College Hospital.

The couple is survived by two sons, Nivash (27) working as a lorry driver in Assam and Sanjay (20) studying second year at Bharathidasan University in Trichy.