An NRI couple was found dead at their residence in Kollam on Saturday, just hours before they were scheduled to return to Dubai.

Sugathan, 67, and his wife, Latha, 60, were found dead inside their house at Anchumukku in Kadakkal at around 11.15 am. Sugathan was involved in business activities in both Kerala and the UAE.

According to the police, relatives living nearby became suspicious after repeated knocks on the door went unanswered. They later looked through an open window into the bedroom and found the couple dead.

“Sugathan was found hanging from the ceiling fan inside the bedroom, while Latha was found lying face down on the cot,” an official with the Kadakkal police station said.

The relatives immediately informed the police, following which officers reached the spot, completed inquest procedures and shifted the bodies to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kollam for postmortem examination. The bodies will be handed over to the family after the autopsy, police said.

Police said preliminary findings point to a suspected suicide case, though further clarity would emerge only after receiving the postmortem report.

“It is understood that the couple had financial difficulties. However, no suicide note was recovered from the house,” the official added.

Investigators also recovered flight tickets booked for the couple’s return journey to Dubai on Saturday night. According to police, Sugathan and Latha mostly resided abroad and visited Kerala only occasionally. This time, they had arrived in Kollam on a short visit lasting around four to five days.

The couple is survived by their son and daughter, both of whom are settled abroad.

Kadakkal police registered a case under Section 194 (unnatural death) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and launched an investigation into the incident.