Elderly Indian couple commit suicide after death of their dog

An elderly couple in south India were so devastated by the death of their dog that they committed suicide, police said Monday.

C. N. Madanraj, 66, and his wife Tara Bai, 63, were found hanging in their home in Hyderabad on Sunday after neighbors told police about a foul smell coming from their house, police officer V. Anantaiah said.

The couple left behind a suicide note saying they were ending their lives after the death of "Puppy," their pet of 13 years, Anantaiah said. The note also requested that police inform their relatives about their deaths, and the couple left behind 2,000 rupees (US$40; EUR30) to pay for their funeral.

The couple hung themselves on Thursday, Anantaiah said.

Relatives said the couple had been severely depressed after Puppy's death.

"They were so shocked and saddened by the loss of their companion that they performed a formal funeral. They wrapped its body in cloth and buried it in the backyard of their home," said N. Shivaji, Madanraj's nephew.