Lovers attempt suicide, man critical

A young couple took an overdose of sleeping pills at a public park on Monday, trying to kill themselves because their families were against their marriage, police said.

Praveen Kumar, 25 and Poonam, 23, both residents of Madipur in west Delhi, were found in an unconscious state at Maurice Nagar’s Bonta Park around 1:30 pm.

Praveen, who has completed a diploma from Industrial Training Institute, is critical and has been shifted to a private hospital. Poonam who is pursuing a Bachelors of Education course from a private institute in Sultanpuri in outer Delhi, is out of danger and has gained consciousness. She is undergoing treatment at Bara Hindu Rao Hospital.

“We received a call from a passerby that a couple was lying unconscious. We reached the spot and rushed them to Bara Hindu Rao Hospital and informed the families,” said a police officer adding they found a suicide note from the boy’s possession and an empty sleeping pills bottle on the spot.

The note stated that they were taking the extreme step as their parents despite knowing that they love each other, have fixed their marriages elsewhere.

“As we can’t live without each other and the family members were not allowing us, we are taking this extreme step. After finding our bodies, please consider Poonam’s body as your daughter-in-law and perform our last rites as husband and wife,” the note stated.

The officer also said Praveen has consumed around 30 sleeping pills and Poonam around five.

“Both were depressed over their family members’ decisions. “We have registered a case after finding the suicide note and investigating the matter,” said the officer.