RAMANATHAPURAM
A woman allegedly committed suicide by slitting her throat and her husband is battling for life at hospital after making a bid to end his life, also by slitting his throat, at a lodge in Rameswaram on Thursday.
Police said the couple, V. Mohanan (67) and Thanthika (56), from Perunjanam in Thrissur district of Kerala checked in at the lodge on Wednesday and allegedly attempted suicide in the early hours of Thursday.
As the couple did not come out of their room till 10.30 a.m., the lodge manager alerted the police. A police team, led by Sub-Inspector M. Velammal, broke open the door of the room and found the woman dead in a pool of blood and her husband struggling for life with his throat slit.
After being administered first aid at Rameswaram Government Hospital, Mohanan was admitted to the District Government Headquarters Hospital here.
Ms. Velammal said it was not clear whether Mohanan slit the throat of his wife before attempting to commit suicide. As he could not speak, the police could not get any information from him.
After checking in at the lodge, the couple visited Sri Ramanathasamy Temple and were found talking till 8 p.m. on Wednesday, she said, quoting room boys at the lodge. The couple had a couple of new knives and used one of them to slit their throat, the police said.
Before leaving their home in Kerala, Mohanan and Thanthika had left a note, stating that they were proceeding to Rameswaram and would never return. On seeing the note, their relatives called Rameswaram Temple police station around 10.30 p.m. on Wednesday and requested the police to look for the couple.
The police searched all the lodges, but could not locate them as Mohanan had given his name as Raghavan from Palakkad while checking in. The reason for the couple taking the extreme step was not immediately known, the police said, adding their only son was coming from Kochi, they added.
Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling State’s health helpline 104 or Chennai-based Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.
