'Were Alive, But Not Living...': Chhattisgarh Couple Dies By Suicide After Son's Death In Accident

Last Updated:February 17, 2026, 08:15 IST

A suicide note recovered from the scene stated that the unbearable grief of losing their only son had driven the couple to take the step.

A couple in Chhattisgarh’s Dhardei village allegedly died by suicide late on Sunday night, leaving behind a four-page note and a video message that cited the reason behind their extreme step — the grief of losing their only son in a road accident last year.

The bodies of Krishna Patel, 48, and his wife Rama Bai, 47, were found hanging from a neem tree in the courtyard of their home in the Shivrinarayan police station area of Janjgir-Champa district.

The incident has left the entire village in shock. Neighbours alerted authorities after noticing unusual silence at the house, following which police reached the spot on Monday morning.

Aditya Patel, the couple’s only son, had died in a road accident in 2024 in the Masturi police station area. For Krishna, a mason by profession, and Rama Bai, a homemaker, Aditya was their world.

In the last note, Krishna described Aditya as a blessing from God who had filled their home with laughter and who cared for them like a parent. “Our lives’ foundation, our world… an obedient son and a friend."

Recalling the “biggest mistake of his life", Krishna wrote of the day Aditya had gone out with a village priest to assist with temple work and a yagna. Aditya had hesitated, but Krishna insisted, “It was God’s work", he wrote.

“He left me forever," he wrote. “We were alive… but I was not living."

The police confirmed that the couple hanged themselves late on Sunday night using a saree tied to a neem tree in their courtyard. The couple used the wall near the tree to climb before ending their lives.

A suicide note was recovered from the scene. In it, the couple clearly mentioned that the unbearable grief of losing their only son had driven them to take this step.

Over the past year, villagers say the couple had withdrawn into themselves. They rarely smiled.

In his final words, Krishna wrote that after a year of pain, something inside him had shifted. The anguish had not disappeared; it had simply transformed.

“God is gracious," he wrote. “After long suffering, my mind is now at peace. I feel drawn toward Him. My destiny is to merge with God."

Before hanging themselves, Krishna and Rama Bai recorded a video. In it, they spoke to their lawyer calmly. They requested that the compensation money received after Aditya’s accident be transferred to their elder brothers, Kulbhara Patel and Jalbhara Patel.

“If we are no longer alive," they said in the video, “please ensure our son Aditya’s claim money goes to our elder brothers. This is our request."

In the suicide note, they wrote, “We are both consciously and willingly offering ourselves to Lord Shiva. No one is to blame for this. Please bid us farewell with a happy heart."

And again, “Do not grieve for us. We are leaving this world in complete peace, without desire, and in a joyful spirit."

On Monday morning, police arrived after neighbours alerted them. The bodies were brought down and sent for a postmortem. A case has been registered, and investigations are underway.

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