In a tragic end to a love story, a speech-impaired woman, and a hearing-impaired man ended their lives yesterday, in the Indian state of Telangana, because they couldn’t get married. Apparently, the woman’s family objected to their relationship, because they found out that the man was already married.
Reportedly, before immolating themselves on Thursday, the young couple recorded a selfie video in sign language, conveying their decision to end their lives.
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According to Indian news reports, 20-year-old N. Ashwini from Telangana, and 27-year-old Mastan Vali from Andhra Pradhesh, worked together in a multinational e-commerce company, in Hyderabad. They met there, fell in love, and a year later, decided that they should get married.
Vali, however, was already married and had been living with his wife in the city for four years.
When the woman’s family found out about the affair, and learnt that the man was married to another woman with impaired speech and hearing, they warned the couple to stay away from each other. Fearing separation, the two ran away from Hyderabad.
According to the police, a missing report was filed in Langar Houz police station, in Hyderabad city.
Meanwhile, the duo, who had reached Palem Stage, in Nalgonda district decided that they will end their lives together. So, Ashwini made a video call to her family members, and explained her decision in sign language.
Reportedly, the family pleaded with them not to take such an extreme step, and tried to contact the couple’s friends and relatives, in Hyderabad.
But, by the time their relatives and friends managed to reach the couple, it was too late. Charred bodies of the duo were found on the outskirts of Palem village, and local police were informed.
A police official told local news reporters that apparently the duo had “poured petrol on themselves, and committed self-immolation”.
According to one news report, police said that they had registered a case. The official added: “Prima facie it is a suicide due to relationship issues. Further probe is underway to find out if there are any reasons that forced them to take the extreme step.”