A small village in Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir-Champa district woke up to unimaginable grief after a couple allegedly died by suicide, unable to cope with the loss of their only son.
Krishna Patel (48) and his wife Rama Bai (47) were found hanging from a neem tree in the courtyard of their home in Dhardei village under the jurisdiction of Shivrinarayan police station. Police officials from the Rahoud outpost confirmed that the incident occurred late Sunday night.
Grief that never healed
Their 21-year-old son, Aditya Patel, had died in a road accident in 2024 in the Masturi police station area. According to police, the couple left behind a four-page suicide note and a video message stating that the pain of losing their son had become unbearable.
In the note, Krishna described Aditya as “our world” and expressed deep regret over encouraging him to step out for temple-related work on the day of the accident. He wrote that life had lost meaning after his son’s passing.
Police said the couple used a saree tied to the tree and appeared to have climbed using a nearby wall. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway.
Final requests
In the recorded video, the couple reportedly requested that the compensation received after Aditya’s death be transferred to their elder brothers. They stated that no one should be held responsible for their decision.
The bodies were brought down on Monday morning and sent for postmortem examination.
The tragedy has left villagers in shock, with many recalling how the couple had withdrawn from social life over the past year.
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