The body of cricketer P.K. Dharma, who allegedly committed suicide by hanging at his residence on Sunday afternoon, was handed over to his parents on Monday after post-mortem.
Kodambakkam police said Dharma's mother had called his phone around noon and he had answered, but an hour later he didn't respond to another call. His parents reached home around 2.30 p.m. after attending a relative's funeral at Pozhichalur.
They opened the house with a spare key and found him hanging from a hook in the ceiling with a dupatta around his neck. They rushed Dharma to a private hospital where doctors pronounced him as brought dead. There was no suicide note, according to the police.
Dharma took the extreme step after he failed to shine in the first division final cricket match held on June 7, 8 and 9 at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here, police said.
Following a complaint lodged by Dharma's father, Pandian, Kodambakkam police registered a case of unnatural death
However, local cricketers and some coaches felt that Dharma couldn't have committed suicide because of merely losing a tournament.
The 20-year-old cricketer who represented Tamil Nadu was an all-rounder at the Globe Trotters Cricket Club.
Dharma represented the club in the final for the Raja of Palayampatti Shield against Vijay CC, but failed to shine. “He had a good run last season but his recent performance was average. In the recent game, he got only one wicket,” said a senior coach.
Following the post-mortem, Dharma's body was taken to a hospital in Porur. Some of his relatives residing overseas are expected to arrive on Tuesday morning, following which the last rites will be performed.
