B. Mariappan (65), a retired Deputy Commissioner of Police along with his wife Muthuraku Nachiyar alias Sundari (56), was found dead in their house at Masilamanipuram on Ambai Road here on Saturday. They were suspected to have committed suicide, sources said.
A small pesticide bottle with some content inside was found in the house. However, the cause of death was yet to be known. While Mariappan was found dead lying near the bathroom, his wife was found dead in the hall. There were no injury marks on their bodies and no foul play was suspected behind the incident.
The incident came to light around 9.45 a.m. when a physiotherapist, who regularly treated Sundari, knocked at the door with no response. Subsequently, the physiotherapist rang up the couple’s daughter, who lives in Madurai, and informed her of the no response from the locked house.
After breaking the window, Sundari was found lying dead in the hall. The door was broken open and their relatives were left shocked to see them both dead. Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tirunelveli Range, T.S. Anbu inspected the spot.
Mariappan retired as DCP from Chennai in 2006 and worked as chief security officer for a private tyre company at Gangaikondan. Based on a complaint lodged by Shanmugapriya alias Kannika (38), the daughter of the deceased, Melapalayam police have filed a case.
