Tragic Family Suicide Rocks Coimbatore: Engineer, Ailing Wife, and Young Daughter End Lives
In a heartbreaking incident that has sent shockwaves through the community, a Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO) employee, his wife who was battling cancer, and their young daughter died by suicide near Periyanaickenpalayam in Coimbatore district on Sunday night. The family's desperate act came after medical professionals delivered devastating news about the wife's deteriorating health condition.
Identities of the Deceased Revealed
The deceased have been identified as B Kamalesh, 42, a junior engineer stationed at the Kathirnaickenpalayam substation; his wife C Ilakkiya, 38, who worked as a staff nurse at a private hospital; and their daughter Ekshitha Angel, 10, a bright Class V student. The family resided at Thambu Nagar in the Periyanaickenpalayam area, where they were known to be active members of their local church community.
Medical Despair Triggers Extreme Step
According to police investigations, Ilakkiya had been undergoing intensive treatment for breast cancer at a private medical facility in Coimbatore. During a recent consultation, doctors delivered the crushing verdict that the cancer had metastasized to other parts of her body, significantly diminishing her chances of survival. This prognosis reportedly plunged the family into deep despair.
Police sources indicate that Kamalesh, overwhelmed by his wife's critical condition and the bleak medical outlook, allegedly procured cyanide and mixed it with a soft drink. The family then consumed the lethal mixture together in what appears to have been a premeditated collective decision.
Farewell Video Message and Final Requests
In a poignant development, Kamalesh had sent a video message to relatives, friends, and fellow church members explaining their tragic decision. The recording, which circulated among their close contacts, outlined their reasons for taking this extreme step, primarily citing Ilakkiya's deteriorating health condition as the catalyst.
The video contained several specific requests from Kamalesh:
- He appealed to police authorities to send their bodies directly to the church burial ground without conducting a postmortem examination
- He revealed that he had transferred Rs 50,000 to the church account specifically for funeral expenses
- He stated that he had allocated his fixed deposit funds to the CSI church where he was an active member
- In a final humanitarian gesture, he requested the Tamil Nadu chief minister to utilize the benefits from his government job for the welfare of impoverished people across the state
Police Response and Investigation
By the time relatives and concerned individuals reached the family's residence, all three members had already succumbed. The Periyanaickenpalayam police promptly recovered the bodies and transported them to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for necessary postmortem procedures, despite the family's request to forego this step.
Authorities have registered a case and launched a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident. Police are examining the video message, financial transactions mentioned by Kamalesh, and medical records related to Ilakkiya's cancer treatment to better understand the sequence of events that led to this family tragedy.
This devastating incident has highlighted the profound psychological impact of critical illnesses on families and raised important questions about mental health support systems for caregivers and patients facing terminal diagnoses in our society.
