The bodies of a young couple were found hanging from a tree in Banaskantha’s Tharad taluka on Sunday, police said. According to police, the incident occurred in the outskirts of Mangrol village. Local residents spotted the bodies and informed the police. The male victim has been identified as Mahesh Chauhan (25), a resident of Mavsari village in Banaskantha’s Vav taluka. “Chauhan’s family said he left his house on Saturday to travel to Dantiya village in Banaskantha. We are yet to ascertain identity of the woman. A case of accidental death has been registered and further probe is on,” said an officer at Tharad police station. In another case, police have registered a case of abetment of suicide against five persons including the wife of a 25-year-old man who hanged himself in a hotel in Tharad on Sunday. According to police, the victim, Amrat Rathod, a resident of Chaladra village in Bhabhar taluka of Banaskantha, was found hanging in a hotel room on Sunday evening. Rathod, who was studying at ITI College in Bhabhor, had married Payal three months ago. Police said Rathod left his house on Saturday morning, claiming that he was going to his college. However, when he did not return till evening, his family called him. Rathod had then informed them that he had travelled to Palanpur city for a job interview and would return by Sunday evening. “On Sunday around 4:30 pm, I received a video on WhatsApp from one of my brothers, who told me that Amrat had sent him a video. In the video, Amrat was claiming that he is going to take the extreme step and took names of four men and his wife Payal as the ones responsible for his death. I rushed to Bhabhar police station to seek help. However, in an hour's time, I was informed that Amrat's body has been found,” said Jetshi Rathod, the deceased’s elder brother in his complaint. Police said Rathod, in his video message, claimed that his wife was having an affair, and alleged that he was receiving threats from the four men. Police said they also recovered a suicide note from the deceased’s bag, in which he named Payal and four men — Kishan, Pravin, Anil and Vishnu — as the ones responsible for his death. “We have lodged a case of abetment to suicide under IPC 306 against five persons including wife of deceased. Further investigation is on,” informed an officer.
