Kochi: An online loan trap is suspected to be the reason behind the suicide of a couple and their two children in Kadamakkudy. 

Relatives say that the deceased woman had borrowed money from an online loan app, and when the repayment stopped, the online app morphed her pictures and sent threatening messages. 

Following the death of the family, the relatives also started receiving threatening messages from loan app. With this, the relatives approached the police. As of now, police have sent the couple’s mobile phones for scientific examination.

Last day, Kadamakkudy natives Nijo (39), his wife Shilpa (29) and their children Abel (7) and Aaron (5) were found dead at their home. The couple, according to the police, poisoned the children before hanging themselves inside the residence. 

The police had initially suspected financial burden to be the reason behind the suicide. However, it was discovered that the threatening messages from the loan app were the cause of the suicide. 

The relatives received a WhatsApp message stating that Shilpa had taken a loan of Rs 9000 from an online app and asked them to pay it back soon. Some morphed pictures of Shilpa were also sent to the relatives with a threat that the pictures would be circulated if the money was not repaid. 

Nijo is a construction worker and artist. The family lived on the upper floor of a house in Kadamakkudy. Nijo’s mother, brother and his family live on the ground floor. The family was found dead when Nijo’s co-worker was unable to reach him on the phone. 

Shilpa, who had gone abroad on a visiting visa, returned a month ago. She was preparing to go abroad again. Locals and relatives say that Nijo was trying to amass money to fund this.

(Suicide is not a solution to any problem. Please seek the help of a mental health expert if you are under distress. Contact toll-free number: 1056)