Debt drives couple to take extreme step

The deceased have been identified as Rajesh (45) and Saraswathi (35). While Rajesh used to sell savouries for a living, Saraswathi was a housewife. The couple has two children - Selvakumar (14) and Dileep (10). 

Police said that they moved to Jameen Royapet, Saraswathi’s hometown, a year ago after settling the debts in Madhavaram. However, the couple found it difficult to run the family with a meagre earning of Rajesh and was unable to pay rent for the last couple of months. The debts mounted again. 

On Sunday night, when the landlord Hariharan demanded Rajesh for rent, he asked Hariharan to the house on Monday. But when Hariharan reached the house on Monday morning and found it to be locked from inside. 

On suspicion, he broke open the door with the help of neighbours and found the couple hanging from the ceiling. Chitlapakkam police have registered a case and sent the bodies to Chromepet government hospital for post-mortem. Further investigation is on.