Financial Stress, Forced Conversion By Neighbours Behind Couple’s Death
Hyderabad: Surprising revelations emerged during the investigation into the death of a couple who committed suicide by jumping in front of a high-speed train near Ghatkesar railway station on Thursday night. The reason why the couple took this extreme step was said to be financial distress due to non-repayment of a huge sum of Rs 20 lakh, being pressured to change their religion and being mentally harassed by the neighboring couple.
The victims, rice trader Ravikumar and his wife Sirisha, were from Papayyapet village in Chennaraopet mandal of Warangal district and were living in Kuntluru area of Hayatnagar in Hyderabad along with their minor children.
According to preliminary investigation, after speaking to the parents of the dead children Sushanth, Vidwan and Sirisha, the police learned that their neighbors Venkat and Pramila had pressured them to convert to Christianity. They constantly pushed them to come to church, and out of friendship the couple complied and went to pray on Sundays. However, Sirisha made it clear that she had no intention of converting, which led to mild arguments between the couple on this issue.
Later, Venkat and Pramila proposed to start a ready-mixed concrete business and convinced them that investing in this venture would bring huge profits. The couple thought they could do business together because they had not changed their religion. Ravikumar reportedly pawned his wife’s gold jewelery in a bank and gave Rs 20 lakh to Venkat to buy a ready-mixed concrete vehicle. Venkat had promised a monthly income of Rs. 20,000, but only paid it for two or three months before withdrawing. Ravikumar and his wife suffered severe mental anguish as the interest on the pledged gold increased and the neighbor was unable to repay the money. Unable to bear the harassment of their neighbors, the couple decided to vacate their house and move somewhere else; They even packed their belongings.
However, police analysis of the call data revealed that the couple went to Ghatkesar railway station on the evening of July 2 and spoke at length on the phone with accused Venkat just half an hour before committing suicide.
After Venkat and Pramila heard the news of his death, they locked their house and ran away. Based on the statements given by the family, the Secunderabad State Railway Police, which is handling the case, detected a case of abetment to suicide and formed teams to trace the accused couple.
