ADIMALI: Two more traders committed suicide as they were unable to pay the debts incurred during the lockdown. The deceased have been identified as Adimali native Damodaran (60), who ran a grocery store in Adimali, and Alavi (37), a vegetable trader in Ottapalam.

For years, Damodaran had been running a grocery shop and a chicken shop in Pallikunnu town. Damodaran arrived at the shop at 11 am on Wednesday and opened the back door and went inside. Neighbours began searching for him as the shutter remained closed at evening 5 pm. Later, they found him lying unconscious inside the shop. They also found a bottle of poison lying beside
him. Though he was rushed to the hospital, he was soon pronounced dead.

It is learnt that he had a liability of more than five lakh rupees. His debt rose sharply as sales in the lockdown slowed. The funeral will take place near his house. Damodaran is the second trader to die in Idukki in this lockdown. Vinod, the owner of a bakery in Adimali, hanged himself two weeks ago due to debt.

Alavi, who had been selling vegetables at the Kothakurissi Center in Ottapalam for a long time, was found hanging at home yesterday. The traders said that Alavi, who is also the leader of the Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi, had committed suicide due to a huge financial burden.