Indian Lecturer and Mother found Dead & Suicide Suspected

An Indian lecturer and his mother were found dead in what was suspected as a suicide. The incidents happened in Delhi.

The matter came to light when police officers discovered the body of a 55-year-old woman.

They found her hanging from the ceiling fan at her apartment in Pitampura. A piece of cloth had also been stuffed into her mouth.

However, officers later found a man’s body lying on the tracks of Delhi Sarai Rohilla railway station. They discovered that it was the woman’s son.

The son was identified as 27-year-old Alan Stanley, a philosophy lecturer at the prestigious St Stephen’s College, University of Delhi. He was also pursuing his PhD at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

Professor Nandita Narain, Mr Stanley’s colleague, said:

“We learnt about the tragic news this morning. We are in shock.

“I had interacted with him when we were speaking to teachers in the lead up to Delhi University Teachers’ Association polls.

“We do not know what prompted him to take such a step. He was teaching Philosophy at the college.”

While the incidents indicate a double suicide, police believe that it is possible that Mr Stanley killed his mother before himself.

The victims were originally from Kerala but Mr Stanley moved to Delhi five years ago. His mother moved in with him seven months ago.

During the investigation, it was discovered that they had a pending case in Kerala of abetment of suicide. The Indian lecturer and his mother had been out on anticipatory bail.

Mr Stanley’s mother Lissy had been married twice. Alan and his brother were from her first marriage.

After her first husband died, she remarried in 2018, however, her second husband took his own life.

Her second husband’s family alleged that Lissy and Alan were the cause of his suicide and registered a case against them. Kerala Police is collecting more evidence.

Police questioned locals who explained that Alan had suicidal thoughts and had tried to take his own life in the past but his friends talked him out of it.

One witness stated that Alan tried to force his mother to commit suicide but she resisted.

According to officers, they found a note at the flat which mentioned that Mr Stanley had been suffering from depression.

Police suspect that it was a double suicide but they also suspect that Alan may have murdered his mother before taking his own life.

A murder case was registered in relation to Lissy’s death while Alan’s death was registered as a suicide.

Both bodies were sent for a post-mortem while officers continue to investigate.