Odisha woman, son borrowed money to bet on IPL matches, lost. Died by suicide: Cop

BHUBANESWAR: A 55-year-old woman and her 22-year-old son in Rayagada district of Odisha died by suicide after losing money in betting on matches of the ongoing mega cricketing event, Indian Premier League (IPL), police said on Saturday.

Police said the woman had borrowed money to get her daughter married four years ago and was under pressure from lenders to repay the money. In the hope that they will be able to repay the loan, the woman and her son borrowed money to bet on the IPL matches but lost.

Rayagada sub divisional police officer JP Das said a few days ago, the lenders locked their house forcing the woman and her son to stay outside the house. They could enter their house only after the intervention of local police.

Neighbours told the police that the woman hadn’t had a meal for three days because she was too stressed about repaying her loans. Three days ago, some of the lenders allegedly created a nuisance in the neighbourhood and took away some valuables including a refrigerator and inverter.

Police said the two ate poison late on Friday night. Their neighours rushed them to a local hospital from where they were shifted to the Rayagada district headquarters hospital, where the son died on Saturday morning while his mother died a few hours later.