Chennai: Four of family attempt suicide by consuming poison, one dies

Chennai: Four persons of a family attempted suicide by consuming poison at a lodge in Chepauk during the wee hours of Monday. One of the victims died on Monday morning, and three are battling for their lives at a government hospital in the city.

The man identified as Jagan Franklin (30) of Kanyakumari, had come to the city on June 7 in search of a job with his family and family friend. His wife Puneetha Rani (29), daughter Jessi  (6) and a family friend, Saranya (21), who had also consumed poison, is undergoing treatment at a government hospital, police said.

While Puneetha and Saranya were admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital, Jessi is undergoing treatment in the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Egmore, they said.

According to police, Jagan had finished a course in hotel management and was looking for a job in Chennai. Saranya,  his friend Ramesh’s wife, also came to the city hoping to get a job here. On Sunday, Jagan met a local politician and sought help to find a job.

On Monday morning, when the local politician came to meet the family, he found the door locked and peeped through the door and found them lying unconscious.

The lodge staff broke the door open only to find Jagan dead, and the others struggling for life, police said.

On an alert, Triplicane police rushed to the spot and admitted them to the Rajiv Gandhi Hospital. Triplicane police have registered a case and are investigating.

Earlier in April 2019, three members of a Chennai family committed suicide in a lodge in Salem. Another member of the family was rescued by lodge staff. Police found a suicide note left behind by the family, which claimed that they had allegedly committed suicide fearing loan sharks in Chennai. The family reportedly owned a catering company in Chennai and had incurred huge losses.