'Don't grieve us, we're leaving in joyful spirit': Couple dies by suicide after son passes away in accident, leave behind 4-page note

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• Chhattisgarh couple commits suicide after son's accident death
• Suicide note, video cite grief, request son's claim money for family
• Police probe couple's compensation transfer instructions

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A couple in Chhattisgarh’s Dhardei village allegedly died by suicide late Sunday night, leaving behind a four-page note and a video message that cited 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. Neighbours alerted authorities after noticing unusual silence at the house, following which police reached the spot on Monday morning.

Officials from the Rahoud outpost confirmed that the couple used a saree tied to the neem tree to hang themselves. A wall near the tree suggested they had climbed it before ending their lives. The bodies were brought down and sent for postmortem. A case has been registered and investigations are underway.

According to police, a suicide note recovered from the scene stated that the unbearable grief of losing their only son had driven them to take the step.

The couple’s 21-year-old son, Aditya Patel, had died in a road accident in 2024 in the Masturi police station area. Krishna, a mason, and Rama Bai, a homemaker, had reportedly struggled to cope with his death.

In his note, Krishna described Aditya as "our lives' foundation, our world... an obedient son and a friend." He wrote that his son was a blessing from God who filled their home with laughter and cared for them like a parent.

Recalling the day of the accident, Krishna wrote that Aditya had gone out with a village priest to assist with temple work and a yagna. He said Aditya had hesitated but he had insisted, telling him, "It was God's work." In the letter, he called it "the biggest mistake of my life."

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

Outpost in charge Satyam Chauhan said the note clearly mentioned that the couple was unable to bear the loss of their son.

Villagers said that over the past year, Krishna and Rama Bai had withdrawn from social life and rarely interacted with others.

In his final words, Krishna wrote, "God is gracious. After long suffering, my mind is now at peace. I feel drawn toward Him. My destiny is to merge with God."

Before taking the step, the couple recorded a video message addressed to their lawyer. In the video, 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."

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