Guruvayur suicide: Family faced pressure from financier

Thrissur: The family in the Guruvayur suicide pact was facing harassment by a financier who advanced Rs 1 lakh, relatives say. On August 23, Sunil Kumar, his wife Sujatha, and their children Akash and Amal were rushed from a lodge near Lord Sri Krishna Temple to the Devaswom hospital in a critical condition after consuming poison mixed in the temple's payasam. Later they were shifted to Thrissur Medical College Hospital (MCH).

Kumar was working as a rubber tapper and was staying at  Perinthalmanna with his family.  “The financier demanded Rs 38,000 immediately or else lose his three-cent plot. He told me about the pressure a few minutes before he breathed his last in the wee hours of Monday,” his brother of Kumar Sujesh said. He said he had given such a statement to police as well. Guruvayur CI Sunil Das said he could not reveal anything about the allegation as the investigation was progressing. Akash, 3, died the same night, and Amal, 6, the day after. Sujatha died without responding to medicines Sunday evening.