Financial woes drive family of 4 to suicide

Trichy: Troubled by financial crisis and health issues, a family of four committed suicide at their house in Pudukkottai town.
Retired government surveyor Kannan, 68, his wife Santhakumari, 60, their son K Radhakrishnan, 26 and daughter K Abirami, 26, were found dead inside the house in Kamarajapuram in Pudukkottai town. Neighbours had alerted the police after noticing a foul smell from the house in the early morning of Tuesday.
Since the house was found locked since June 4, neighbours had assumed that the family was out of station.After their repeated calls were not answered on Tuesday, local residents informed the Ganesh Nagar police station. Police gained entry into the house by breaking the main door.
Except Santhakumari who was found dead on a bed, others were found hanging from the ceiling. Santhakumari ended her life by consuming poison, police said.
"The family was reeling under financial burden. Santhakumari was suffering from a serious ailment for a long time. Abirami who was married to an engineer in Thanjavur was also back after her married life turned bitter due to alleged difference of opinion," a police officer told TOI.
Police have recovered a suicide note reportedly written by Kannan. He has instructed that the house should be donated to an orphanage and his properties in the native place should be shared among his relatives.