Kochi: In a tragic incident, a 33-year-old man and his six-year-old daughter were found dead inside their residence in Elamakkara here on Friday morning. The police suspect it to be a case of murder-suicide.

The deceased are Pavishankar and his daughter Vasuki. Natives of Panavally in Cherthala, the family had been residing in a rented house on St. Xavier’s Road at Ponekkara, Elamakkara.

According to the Elamakkara police, Pavishankar was found hanging from the ceiling, while the child was found lying motionless on the bed. The police suspect that Pavishankar may have poisoned his daughter before taking his own life. The incident is believed to have occurred between 11.30 pm on Thursday and 11 am on Friday.

The bodies were discovered by Pavishankar’s wife, Snasha, and her cousin, Sabareesan VV, on Friday morning.

The sequence of events began late Thursday night when Snasha returned home at around 11.30 pm after finishing her shift at a shop in an Edappally shopping mall. Finding the house locked and her husband and daughter missing, she became anxious. Pavishankar’s mobile phone was also switched off.

Worried and unable to contact them, Snasha travelled to her cousin Sabareesan’s house in Poothotta for the night.

“We tried reaching Pavishankar on his phone throughout the night but in vain,” Sabareesan told Onmanorama. “This morning, Snasha and I returned to Ponekkara, intending to file a missing person complaint with the police. However, before going to the station, we decided to check the house one last time.” Sabareesan said.

Upon reaching the house, they found the door closed but not locked, with the key left in the keyhole. “When we went inside, we were shocked to see their bodies and immediately alerted the police. We have no idea why he would take such an extreme step,” Sabareesan added.

Police sources said that Pavishankar, who worked as a salesperson, had been unemployed for some time. “Prima facie, it appears that he committed suicide after murdering the child. However, a detailed investigation is required. Only a postmortem examination can confirm the exact cause of death,” a police officer said.

The Elamakkara police have registered a case of unnatural death under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Inquest formalities are currently underway.