In a gruesome and tragic incident of murder-suicide pact, four members of a family – husband, wife, and their two sons – were found dead, hanging, in their house near Palladam, Tirupur, today.

45-year-old Thamaraikannan was running a hosiery business in Allalapuram. He was living with his wife and two sons on the third floor of the building of his firm. Thamaraikannan’s father tried to reach him over the phone at around 5.00 AM. Finding no response from him, the worried father alerted his friends and asked them to check on him.

The friends rushed home and broke open the door, only to find Thamaraikannan hanging dead in the entrance hall.

Also hanging dead in another room were Prabhavathi (the wife), and two sons Dhanush (14) and Anush (10). The mouths of the sons were tied with sticking tapes.

No reason for this murder-suicide spree has yet been found, but the police suspect that it might have something to do with financial troubles.