In Haryana, an elderly couple died by suicide on March 29 by consuming sulphas tablets, leaving behind a suicide note that accused their family members of ill-treatment. The couple claimed that their son owns property worth Rs 30 crore but had refused to provide them with even two meals a day. The police were informed by the elderly couple themselves, who had called the control room before consuming poison. In the suicide note, Jagdish Chandra Arya wrote that they were living with their daughter-in-law, Neelam, after their other son died six years ago. However, Neelam eventually threw them out, forcing them to stay in an old-age home for two years. When the couple returned to live with their son who owns property worth Rs 30 crore, they were given stale food. Fed up with the treatment, Jagdish Chandra Arya and Bhagli Devi decided to end their lives. The suicide note named Virender, their son, and two daughters-in-law as the reason behind the couple’s death. Reflecting on this case and the common theme of elder abuse and neglect that exists across India, given its rapidly aging population, widespread poverty, and limited social protections, it is critical for public health interventions and policy change to prevent this occurring.
