Cash-strapped newly-weds hang to death from same saree

Chennai

They hung themselves using the same saree at their house in Selaiyur reportedly owing to lack of work and thereby no income to even return to West Bengal. Their bodies were recovered by the police on Saturday.

Police said the couple came to Tambaram on March 23 looking for jobs in the construction sector in Chennai. But unfortunately, the very next day of their arrival, the nationwide lockdown was announced. The couple managed to rent a house in Mappedu near Selaiyur with the help of few other Bengali construction workers in the city.

In the beginning, they managed to run the family with the money which they had. As the lockdown was extending, it was difficult for their survival. However, following certain relaxations in the lockdown, only the husband went for some painting work for a few days as regular work was not forthcoming.

Sources said, the friends from West Bengal, who arranged the house for the couple returned to their hometown, but the couple was stranded as they reportedly had no money to pay for the tickets. The couple was seen dejected and thereafter the neighbours noticed that their house was locked for the past two days and they thought that the couple might have gone for work somewhere else and decided to stay there.

Unfortunately, on Saturday morning a foul smell emanated from the house and soon the house owner was informed. The Selaiyur police entered the house and found the couple hanging from either end of a saree. Police said that the bodies were in a decomposed stage and that they might have committed suicide two days ago.

The police sent the body for post-mortem examination to Chromepet government hospital. Police said they have difficulties in identifying their names and other details of the couple since all their friends have gone to their home town and even the house owner does not know their names.