Couple dies in car blaze in suspected suicide pact

Hyderabad: In a case of suspected suicide pact, a couple was burnt alive in a parked car on Monday evening at Ghatkesar on the city outskirts. How the fire started is being investigated.The deceased were identified as Sriram, who worked in a cycle shop, and Likitha, both from Narapally. One of them came out of the car and died after falling on an adjacent footpath. The incident took place at around 5:30 pm on a service road near Ghatkesar outer ring road.Locals informed the fire department, but by the time fire tenders arrived and doused the flames, the duo had already died.Initially, police believed it to be a case of accidental fire. However, a family member of Sriram approached police a few hours later, saying the youth had called him up and told him he was going to end his life. The family member also shared with cops a suicide note Sriram had written to his brother.Police later discovered that Likitha had also written a suicide note addressing her father.In his suicide note, Sriram blamed one Chintu, alleging he was blackmailing him and demanding money. He claimed he had already paid Rs 1.30 lakh to Chintu, but did not elaborate on why he was being harassed.Sriram claimed he had been in love with Likitha for five years and they were trying to convince her family to allow them to get married.Police suspect the couple might have set themselves ablaze inside the car, and the flames spread to other parts before the fuel tank caught fire. Investigations are on to ascertain the details.