Chennai: Mentally ill man found dead at home, father dies in hospital

CHENNAI: The Adyar police are investigating into the suspicious death of a mentally challenged man and his father.
The deceased were identified as Kalaikannan, 70, who died in the hospital, and his son Venkatesan, 40, who died at home. On Friday night, neighbours of Kalaikannan, who lived in Venkatarathinam, Adyar, alerted police about a foul smell emanating from his house. Police broke open the door, and found Venkatesan lying dead on the bed, while Kalaikannan was unconscious on the floor. After being given first aid, Kalaikannan told police that his son had been asleep for the past three days.
Kalaikannan was admitted to the Government Royapettah Hospital where he died on Saturday morning. Both bodies were sent for postmortem. Police have also sent viscera samples of the two to the forensic lab to ascertain whether they died of a natural death or they had consumed poison.
Kalaikannan was a retired Indian Postal Service employee. His wife had passed away 15 years ago. Since then, Kalaikannan did not speak to the neighbours. When the father and son did not step out of the house for three days, neighbours grew suspicious, more so after the foul smell began emanating from their house.
The Adyar police said whereabouts of the relatives of the duo are unknown. The father and son lived in a house worth about Rs 4 crore. Police have also not ruled out the possibility of suspicious death. Further inquiry is on.