Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, Apr 17: In yet another case of suicide, a couple in love allegedly took their own lives at Shambhavi river, Hejamady here.

The deceased have been identified as Dinesh (17) and Vanita (18). The incident took place on Monday April 16. Both were children of government employees.

Sources said that Dinesh, son of Tukaram, and Vanita, daughter of Sundara, allegedly jumped into the river for fear that their families would not allow their union. It is said that Vanita's family members were aware of their liking for each other. It is said that she was apprehensive that age may come in the way of her marriage with Dinesh who was younger to her.

Both belonged to Koraga community and were in fact cousins. Sources said that Vanita's family was looking for a groom for her.

They went missing on Saturday but were expected to return home. However, their bodies were found later in the river, one on Monday night and another on Tuesday April 17 morning.

Apart from Vanita, Sundara has four sons and a daughter. Dinesh was the youngest among Tukaram's sons.

Dinesh, whose parents, Vasanti and Tukaram, worked as civic workers for Yermal gram panchayat, was employed at Kediyoor Hotel in Udupi. He had completed SSLC, and used to commute to his work place daily from his home. On Saturday, he called his family over his mobile phone, telling them that he would be visiting a relative at Mallar village that day. When the family tried to contact him over phone thereafter, his mobile phone was found to have been switched off.

Vanita was the daughter of Dinesh’s maternal uncle, who works as civic worker for Padubidri gram panchayat. She had abandoned her studies after finding the science subjects she had opted for in the first PU class proved too difficult. She had left home on Saturday, telling her mother that she wanted to get a dress stitched for her. For this purpose, she had collected clothes from her mother, and had borrowed Rs 100 from her younger brother.

Many had seen the couple loitering around the beach at Hejmady Kody since the last two days. On Monday evening, they were sighted near Mulky Bridge. Some said at dusk they moved closer to the estuary of Shambhavi river and stayed put outside the compound of a house there. At around 10.15 pm, Harish, who resides in nearby house, came out after hearing some sound. On seeing him, the couple started to run, and did not stop even after Harish warned that there was rivulet ahead. They reportedly said before jumping into the rivulet, that they had told their families, and that they are afraid of being caught by the police.

Dinesh’s body was recovered at around midnight, while Vanita’s body was found deposited on the banks of Shambhavi river on Tuesday morning. The fact that the wrist watch worn by Vanita had stopped at 10.20 proved that the couple had jumped into the river at that time, while a slip with the words, ‘Dinesh Weds Vanita’ was found in the pants pocket of Dinesh. The police found it hard to establish the identities of the couple for long. The parents of the two, who visited the mortuary at the hospital in the afternoon after hearing about the recovery of two bodies, identified them.

Post mortem was conducted at Padubidri primary health centre. Station house officer of Padubidri station, Mahadeva Setti, has registered a case and taken up investigation.

Cases of suicide have been increasing in the coastal region over the past few weeks. From students to lovers to young children, the spate of suicide cases has cast a shadow of gloom in the region.