Two students from Kerala succumbed to death in Mangaluru on Sunday, three days after consuming poison in a hotel room in the city.
Police officials said the duo, who both hail from Kasargod district in Kerala, were in a relationship and suspect that they took their own lives after their families objected to their relationship since they belonged to different castes.
Vishnu D (22) and Greeshma (22) were students staying in Moodabidri and Mangaluru respectively. Vishnu was a first year student studying BSc Food and Nutrition in a college in Moodabidri while Greeshma was studying physiotherapy in a college in Mangaluru. They consumed poison mixed in a juice in a room in a hotel located near the Mangaluru Central Railway Station around 7 pm on October 10. They were rushed to Unity Hospital in the city where they succumbed on Sunday. A case of unnatural death was registered at the Mangaluru (South) police station.
Police officials are investigating whether pressure from family members over their relationship led to the duo consuming poison. “Prima facie they belong to two different castes. We will investigate the circumstances that led these two people to take such a drastic decision,” Mangaluru Commissioner Harsha P told TNM.
Police officials will now reach out to the families of the victims to investigate the deaths.
A police official investigating the case stated that the two students mentioned in a note that they were in love but were forced to take their own lives as they belonged to different castes. “They mentioned in a note that they are taking their lives because they are in love but are from different castes. They did not mention in the note that they had faced pressure from their families, but this is something we are investigating,” a police official investigating the case told TNM.
If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help.
Tamil Nadu:
State health department suicide helpline number - 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in TN)
Telangana:
Telangana government suicide prevention toll free no - 104
Roshni- 040-66202000, 66202001
SEVA- 09441778290, 040 - 27504682 (between 9 AM and 7 PM)
Karnataka:
Sahai : 24-hour helpline numbers: 080- 65000111, 080-65000222
Kerala:
Maithri helpline - 0484-2540530
Chaithram helpline: 0484-2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.
Andhra Pradesh:
Life Suicide Prevention Helpline No.78930-78930
Roshni
Helpline 1: 9166202000
Helpline 2: 9127848584