Kolkata, March 17 The bodies of an elderly couple were found hanging in their house in the Haridevpur area in the southern outskirts of Kolkata, said the police on Tuesday.
The woman's body was found hanging from the ceiling fan of the balcony of her house. A saree was used as a noose around her neck. The man's body was found hanging from the ceiling fan of the next room. A part of the same saree was found around his neck.
The bodies were recovered from their rented house on Monday evening. The deceased couple were identified as Bikash Das (72) and Basanti Das (63).
The incident shocked the residents of the area, who had first discovered the woman's hanging body on the balcony and informed the landlord of the house. On receiving the information, the Haridevpur police station reached the spot.
According to the police, a suicide note was recovered from the residence. The note said that six months' worth of rent was due. Consequently, the landlord and his family members were exerting relentless pressure on the couple to pay the rent. Driven by this mental distress, the elderly couple decided to commit suicide.
The two bodies were recovered and sent to M.R. Bangur Hospital, where doctors pronounced them dead. The Haridevpur Police Station initially registered two cases of unnatural death. Subsequently, acting on the lead provided by the suicide note, the police launched an investigation.
Investigators spoke with local residents and learned that the couple had been living as tenants in the Daspara residence for two years. Basanti Devi worked as a domestic caregiver, while Bikash Babu worked as a broker for the sale of land and property. They had been grappling with financial hardship for the past eight months.
"The family had been facing financial strain. Consequently, their house rent was due. It is alleged that the landlady, Bula Pal, was exerting constant pressure on the elderly couple for the rent money," said a senior officer of Kolkata Police.
Furthermore, in his suicide note, Bikash held members of the landlord's family -- Mousumi Mondal, Gopal Mondal, and Latika Mondal -- responsible for his suicide. Police said that based on a complaint filed by a relative of the deceased, a case of abetment to suicide has been registered against the landlord. However, no arrests had been made so far.
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