A 30-year-old woman and her two young daughters were found dead in a well near Dombucherry village in Theni district, in a suspected case of suicide, police said.
The deceased were identified as Papathi and her daughters Aruna (8) and Sangeetha (5). Papathi, who was married to Prashanth of Narayanapuram near Sivakasi, had been staying with her parents in Dombucherry for the past few years.
Police said Papathi had reportedly been undergoing treatment for mental health issues. On March 28, she left home with her daughters, saying she was going to a nearby shop, but did not return.
Following this, her father Muthu lodged a missing complaint at the Palanisettipatti police station. A search was launched, and on Monday evening, the bodies of the three were found floating in a well near the Madurai Veeran Temple, opposite the Dombucherry Government Primary Health Centre.
Police recovered the bodies and sent them for post-mortem examination.
Preliminary investigation suggests that Papathi may have taken the extreme step by throwing her children into the well before ending her life. Further investigation is under way.
