Chennai: A 25-year-old woman killed her three-month-old daughter and later died by suicide at her home in Aminjikarai.The woman, Dharini, and her husband, Praveen, 29, who runs a tattoo studio in Nungambakkam, lived with their daughters Shreya and Kavya, his mother Veena, 54, and his mother-in-law Radhika, 51.On Friday, Praveen left for work and Radhika took Kavya to a private hospital after the child complained of stomach pain.When Radhika returned at night, she found Dharini and the infant, Shreya, lying unconscious in the house. She raised an alarm, and neighbours rushed Dharini and Shreya to a private hospital, where doctors referred them to Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital. Doctors there declared both of them dead on arrival.The Aminjikarai police have registered a case. Preliminary inquiries indicated that Dharini had been undergoing treatment for depression since childhood and that her condition had worsened after the birth of her child. Investigators are examining whether the infant died due to strangulation or poisoning and are awaiting postmortem.Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on TN’s helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.
