GUNTUR: A married couple allegedly committed suicide at Navuluru village in Mangalagiri mandal on Thursday. The police said M Udaya Kiran (34) was being questioned for the last two days in a cheating case registered against him. “He, with the help of one Rajasekhar, was a partner in a consultancy firm to provide jobs to the unemployed. Post a complaint lodged by one of the candidates, a case of cheating was registered against him,” Ibrahimpatnam police said.

He and his wife Helena (28) were found hanging at their house in Navuluru. Meanwhile, Kiran’s father, M Subba Rao (a retired railway employee), alleged that the duo committed suicide due to harassment at the hands of police. He said the cops snatched his son’s mobile phone, cheques and promissory notes. “Kiran was made to sit from 7 am to 11 pm at Ibrahimpatnam police station for the last two days.”

One Ramakrishna promised youths jobs at the Food Corporation of India and collected money from them, he said. Demanding action against Ramakrishna, Rajasekhar and a few other partners, he said it was them who collected all the money from unemployed youths. Mangalagiri MLA A Ramakrishna Reddy and relatives of the deceased also staged a protest. A road in Mangalagiri was blocked for five hours when the bodies were being shifted to the area hospital for autopsy. He demanded `50 lakh compensation and government jobs to family members of each victim.

He also warned to continue the protest if the police failed to render justice to the victims’ families. Additional SP Lakshminarayana rushed to the spot and assured to take proper action after thorough investigation into the case. DSP GV Ramakrishna said revenue officials had assured to sanction benefits to the family members as per the guidelines of the government. Ibrahimpatnam cops questioned husband for his alleged involvement in a job scam Udaya Kiran with his wife Helena Suicide helplines OneLife: 78930-78930 Roshni, Hyderabad-based NGO: 040-66202000