In a heartbreaking incident in Karur village, Ranebennur taluk of Haveri district, an 18-year-old youth, Dhanaraj Nayak, took his own life by hanging after a dispute with his parents over acquiring a motorbike. Distraught by her son’s death, his mother, Bhagyamma Nayak, also ended her life on the railway tracks the same day.
Dhanaraj, a student pursuing a diploma in Harihar City, Davanagere district, had been persistent in his demand for a motorbike to commute to college. On the day of the incident, after an argument with his parents, his father, Suresh Nayak, promised to arrange the funds for the bike before heading to work. However, during his absence, Dhanaraj tragically hanged himself in the kitchen.
Upon returning home and discovering her son’s lifeless body, Bhagyamma, overwhelmed with grief, rushed to the nearby railway tracks and took her own life. The family had already suffered the loss of their 14-year-old daughter due to health issues the previous year, leaving Suresh Nayak now alone in the wake of this devastating tragedy.
Neighbors described Suresh and Bhagyamma as hardworking daily wage laborers deeply devoted to their children’s education. Villagers expressed shock and sorrow over the incident, calling it the worst tragedy to hit their community.
The Kumarapattana police station has registered a case, and an investigation into the circumstances leading to the double tragedy is ongoing.