A couple allegedly died by suicide in their home in Nagpur, Maharashtra on Tuesday. They were found hanging in their home in the Martin Nagar locality, dressed up in their wedding attire when their relatives found them.
It was the couple's 28th wedding anniversary. As per preliminary probe, they took the extreme step as they were suffering from financial difficulties and were childless, news agency PTI reported.
The couple also recorded a video message on their mobile phone before taking the step, sent it to their relatives, and posted it on social media.
A report by Times Of India said that the couple celebrated their wedding anniversary and partied well after midnight with their family and friends. The deceased have been identified as 57-year-old Jeryl alias Tony Oscar Moncrieff and his wife Annie (45).
While Tony was found hanging in the kitchen, his wife was found lying motionless ona bed in the drawing room. The man reportedly first allowed his wife to end her life and then brought her body down and placed it on the bed. He also covered her body with cloth and placed flowers on it before ending his life by hanging himself from a scarf from the ceiling in the kitchen, the report said citing police.
The couple's suicide has sent shock waves in the locality. Before taking the extreme step, the couple uploaded a farewell message on their social media. It included two suicide notes and an informal will on stamp paper.
In the video message uploaded by the couple, Annie was seen requesting the family members to take care of their kin's children. She wished them luck as she made an emotional exit from the video. The suicide notes also included requests to ensure that the properties left behind by the couple are distributed seamlessly among the rest of the family. The couple did not blame anyone for their drastic step, TOI reported.
One of the couple's relatives, who live in the same locality, spotted Annie's status at 5:47 AM on social media. She alerted her mother who then informed other relatives. They rushed to the Moncriff's to save them but found them dead. The police were then informed about the incident.
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The couple was buried in a common coffin at the Jaripatka Catholic cemetery on Tuesday evening. A third-generation coffin maker Vijay Alick Michael said that it was the first time that he had made a common coffin for a couple. He said that the relatives requested him to make a common coffin, saying that it was the last wish of the couple to be buried together on their wedding day, hand-in-hand, the report said.
Jeryl worked as a chef at many top hotels, but he discontinued during the pandemic and did not return to his hotel job thereafter. His wife was a homemaker.
A case of accidental death has been registered by the police and their mobile phones will be sent to the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory for assessment.