Kamal Ghorui
BENGALURU: A young techie couple who had moved from Hyderabad to Bengaluru died by suicide within minutes of each other at their apartment in the city’s Kothanur area, police said.Investigators said the husband, Bhanu Chander Reddy, 32, was found dead inside a locked bedroom on Tuesday morning. His wife, Bibi Shaziya Siraj, 31, died shortly afterwards after jumping from the 18th floor of the same apartment complex.Police said Shaziya had returned home from her night shift at around 7.30am and raised the alarm when her husband did not respond. She contacted the building’s security staff, telling them the bedroom door was locked from inside. Guards broke open the door and found Reddy’s body. A suicide note was recovered from a table.According to police, Shaziya remained at the scene briefly as neighbours gathered and calls were made to emergency services. “We are told she was around for 20 minutes after the body was discovered,” an officer said. Amid the commotion, she is believed to have left unnoticed, taken the lift to the 18th floor and jumped.Annual package of Rs 80 lakhIn his purported note, Reddy blamed job loss and mounting anxiety. He had previously worked in the United States, where, police said, he earned an annual package of Rs 80 lakh.According to Reddy’s family, he had purchased a small house in US and built another in Telangana for his family. However, due to AI, he lost the job and this shattered him. His anxiety increased when failed to secure another job. But his family and wife were supportive,” an investigating officer said.Police said the couple had moved to Bengaluru about eight months ago after Shaziya secured a job with a multinational technology company, IBM. Reddy had returned to India after losing his job in the US and had been trying to find work.
Here’s what happened
On Sunday night, shortly before leaving Hyderabad, Shaziya had spoken to her husband. According to the investigation, he told her he had ordered dinner online and would be eating soon.The couple had been married for around two-and-a-half years, but only Reddy’s parents were aware of the relationship. Police, quoting friends and colleagues, said Shaziya had not informed her own family.Investigators said the couple initially stayed in Hyderabad but found it difficult to continue there due to the need to keep their marriage secret from relatives. They later moved to Bengaluru and were living on the eighth floor of Tower 6 in an apartment complex on Thanisandra Main Road.Officers said Reddy had been struggling with anxiety linked to unemployment after the move. Further investigation is ongoing.
