Man hangs three children to death, commits suicide

Bangalore, May 22: Shock and agony hung over Chowdeshwari Layout of Yelahanka, where Dharmalingam (45) allegedly hanged his two sons and a daughter to death, before committing suicide on Monday morning.

The Yelahanka police said Dharmalingam killed his sons Sundar Vignesh (10), Sakthivelu (6) and daughter Vidya Indu (8). The bodies were found hanging from the ceiling. The door and the windows were locked from inside. Dharmalingam was in a deep financial crisis and was reportedly depressed, factors that police are looking into.

“There was no death note. The incident must have taken place between midnight and 2 am. Dharmalingam must have hanged his sons and daughters when they were fast asleep and then hanged himself. The bodies were shifted to Dr B R Ambedkar Medical College for post mortem,” said police inspector Kenche Gowda. Dharmalingam earlier worked as a weaver at a powerloom unit in Yelahanka.

Dharmalingam hailed from Salem in Tamil Nadu and came to Bangalore 25 years ago. He settled at Prakashnagar in Rajajinagar, before shifting to Chowdeshwari Layout 10 years ago. He was married to Maheshwari, who also hails from Salem. The couple had three daughters - Geetha (22), Saranya (20) and Priya (18).

Geetha was married to a person in Yelahanka. Saranya fell in love with a man from Doddaballapura. She married him despite opposition from the family. Dharmalingam and his family were upset with Saranya after her marriage and did not have any contact with her. He had finalised an alliance for Priya with his relative at Tirupattur in Tamil Nadu.

Second marriage

Maheshwari could not beget a son to Dharmalingam, so he married Tulasi, 32, also from Salem. He had two sons and a daughter from her - Sundar Vignesh, Sakthivelu and Vidya Indu. There was harmony among Dharmalingam, Maheshwari, Tulasi and all their sons and daughters. They were staying at a rented single bedroom house.

Tulasi, who was suffering from mental illness, ended her life by hanging herself at her parents’ house three months ago. Tulasi’s death was a big blow to Dharmalingam. He went into depression and left the job. He too developed mental illness following the developments, police said.

Dharmalingam found it difficult to manage the household after he left the job. He had also finalised the alliance for Priya. He reportedly raised loans from different sources. He was much worried about completing her marriage. Dharmalingam and his family members decided to invite Saranya and her husband for the wedding.

Geetha, her husband Madesh, Priya and Maheshwari went to Saranya’s house on Sunday evening to invite the couple for the wedding. They returned home on Monday. When there was no response on knocking the door, they broke it open and were shocked to see four bodies hanging, police said.

Maheshwari collapsed at the sight, while her daughters were inconsolable. Along with the police, they looked for a death note, but could not find one.

“We never expected he would do this. He yearned for a son for several years. He married for the second time just to have sons. Now, instead of raising them, he killed them. How can he be so brutal?” a few family friends and relatives said, speaking to Deccan Herald.

“Dharmalingam was a good man. He was fortunate to have wives who always stood by him. Both his sons were intelligent. It was a perfect family in the entire Chowdeshwari Layout. Things changed rapidly after Tulasi committed suicide. He never came out of the shock. He had stopped talking to neighbours,” they said.