Family of four found dead in Neelankarai home; suicide note cites financial hardship

CHENNAI : A family of four, including two children, were found dead at their residence in Injambakkam, Neelankarai, on Wednesday morning. Preliminary inquiries revealed that the man, who had run into severe financial difficulties, had killed himself, while his wife and two children are suspected to have died from asphyxiation on Tuesday night. The deceased have been identified by police as J. Siranjeevi Dhamothara Gupta (45), his wife S. Revathi (36), and their two children, S. Rithvik (15) and S. Dhithich Ashwa (11). Police said that Siranjeevi, who owned a CCTV shop on Mount Road, was reportedly facing significant debt and business losses. The bodies were discovered on Wednesday morning after a family relative grew suspicious. Sources said Siranjeevi had allegedly transferred an amount of Rs 1 lakh to his wife's uncle shortly before the incident. Sensing something amiss, the relative visited their home and found the family dead. Investigators recovered a note from the residence, allegedly written by Siranjeevi, which states that no one was responsible for their deaths and that financial hardship led them to this decision. The Neelankarai Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR). The bodies have been sent to the Royapettah Government Hospital for post-mortem examination. Further investigations are underway to confirm the circumstances leading to the tragedy. (Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on TNs health helpline 104 and Snehas suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)