'Severe depression': Tamil Nadu man ends life after pet lamb he raised dies

TRICHY: A 29-year-old man died by suicide in Trichy after the goat he raised with great affection died due to illness on Tuesday. The deceased, V Balraj, was a resident of Keela Anbil village in Lalgudi taluk. A farm labourer, Balraj had studied up to Class VII and was unmarried."My son got the lamb around six months ago, and started feeding and treating it like a pet rather than ordinary cattle," Balraj's father Veerasamy, 50, also a farm worker, said in his complaint to police. The goat died due to illness on Tuesday, pushing Balraj into severe depression soon after. "He was inconsolable despite our repeated advice and counselling. Around 7.30pm, we were told he was found hanging from a tree near the village bus stop," Veerasamy said.The shell-shocked family immediately rushed him to the primary health centre in Anbil. He was then referred to Lalgudi Government Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. Police arranged for autopsy at Lalgudi hospital and handed over the body to them."There were no visible external injuries on the victim's body other than neck wound caused by hanging. Visceral samples have been sent for analysis for a detailed investigation," a police official told TOI. Lalgudi police registered a case under Section 194 of BNSS pertaining to suspicious death on Wednesday and are investigating. (Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on TN's health helpline 104 and Sneha's suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.)