Financial woes led to murder-cum-suicide of Indian film producer, family

The life of the Indian film producer, who, along with his family, was found dead in their Dubai flat on Tuesday was a story straight out of the movies, it emerged on Wednesday. The Dubai Police have confirmed that the couple and their daughter died in a murder-cum-suicide pact.

The partially decomposed bodies of Santhosh Kumar, his wife Manju and nine-year-old daughter Gouri were found in their flat near NMC Hospital in Al Nahda on Tuesday. According to police officials, the couple resorted to the extreme step due to financial woes.

The police found a letter written by Kumar in which he mentioned the places where the family’s passports had been kept so that they could be used to repatriate their bodies, a source said. However, the police have recovered only Gouri’s passport.

The police were informed by one of Kumar’s relatives that the victims were unreachable since July 9. After obtaining the legal permission, the police forced open the flat and found the bodies lying in the bedroom.

Manju was found with both her wrists cut, while Kumar had stab injuries on various parts of his body. The police said the child, a fourth grade student, had been smothered to death using a pillow.The forensic evidence at the site ruled out the possibility of a foul act by an outsider, said officials.

According to the police source, Kumar had some cases registered against him in Dubai.

The bodies were referred to the General Department of Forensic Medicines and will be handed over to the relatives after legal and administrative procedures are completed.

Tragic twist

Kumar, who owns the production company Souparnika Films in the south Indian state of Kerala, was a co-producer of hit Malayalam movies like Madampi and remakes of classic hits likes Neelathaamara and Rathinirvedham. The family was well off when they lived in Kuwait where the couple adopted Gouri.

They said Kumar’s film business went bust after another movie, Chattkkari, in which he had invested money, bombed at the box office.

Subsequently, his trading business in Dubai also suffered losses and a case was filed against Kumar after employees were not paid for over a year. A dud cheque case also was registered against him.

However, he was not a man to confide in others about his issues, said a family friend. “Not many knew he was going through a big financial crisis and it has now emerged that even the luxury cars he used to drive were taken on rent,” said a family friend.

Many residents in the building were not aware of the family’s background. They were in a state of shock and disbelief after the tragic story unravelled.

news@khaleejtimes.com