Dispute over biryani claims couple’s lives in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: A dispute over biryani claimed the lives of a couple in Vizag late on Tuesday night, leaving their 4-year-old boy orphaned. The couple committed suicide following the dispute. The deceased were identified as K Balaram (33) and Priyanka (27), of Srinagar area near Rama Talkies. Police said Balaram’s addiction to alcohol destroyed his family.

According to police, Balaram of Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam district had married Priyanka following a love affair five years ago. The couple shifted from Kalingapatnam to Vizag city for their livelihood. Balaram was addicted to alcohol, he indulges frequent heated arguments with his wife.

The incident occurred after Balaram, having consumed a couple of pegs, came home and demanded that his wife, Priyanka, make biryani. Priyanka refused and said that making biryani at late night hours was not possible. Balaram argued with her, and Priyanka’s mother, Rajeswari, tried to pacify them. Rajeswari went to bring biryani. Priyanka scolded Balaram, saying that because of his liquor habit, her mother was forced to go out late at night to bring biryani. Following the heated argument, Priyanka took the extreme step of hanging herself from the ceiling fan.

Balaram hanged himself from a ceiling fan after seeing his wife’s action, police said. A four-year-old boy told cops that first his mother played cradle (hanging to the ceiling fan) and his father brought her down. Then, father played the same cradle game. After listening to his words, the locals were shocked. Police sent the bodies for postmortem and are investigating the case.