Ranjit Saha’s grieving mother in their Madhyamgram house. Telegraph picture

Calcutta, July 18: A young father hugged his elder daughter, kissed the younger one and then killed himself on the northern outskirts of Calcutta, because he was depressed at having two girls in a row.

Ranjit Saha was becoming increasingly apprehensive about the prospect of marrying off his daughters, one six years old and the other only 25 days, his family members said.

He was found hanging from a rod fixed to the ceiling of his electrical goods shop in North 24-Parganas’ Madhyamgram, only around 20km from the heart of Calcutta.

“My son became very tense after his second daughter was born. He looked depressed and often said he had hoped for a son. In the past few days, he frequently expressed his fears of bringing up two daughters and getting them married,” said his mother Alorani.

Ranjit, 31, earned around Rs 4,000 a month from his shop and as an electrician.

He returned home around eight last evening and left for his shop again half an hour later.

“He told his wife Priyanka that he forgot to complete some repair jobs. She did not suspect anything as he often returned to his shop at night to finish jobs,” said Ranjit’s brother-in-law Rohidas Poddar.

Before leaving, Ranjit “hugged his elder daughter and caressed the younger one”, Rohidas said.

Ranjit did not return home at night. Rohidas said there was nothing unusual in it as Ranjit usually stayed back if he had work pressure.

A trader who was opening his shop next to Ranjit’s around 8am today noticed that the shutters were partially open.

When he peeped in, he found Ranjit hanging.

The family said Ranjit had got married about eight years ago. His first daughter is in Class I.

“He was so fond of his daughters…” said his mother.

Ranjit was also worried that he would not be able to give his daughters a good education if he tried to save for their marriage.

Although fond of his daughters, he had become a changed man of late, Rohidas said.

Ranjit’s friend in the neighbourhood, Sanjoy Ghosh, said he was also worried that his income was not growing. “He used to tell us that he had two daughters but his income had become static. He sometimes borrowed money from us but always repaid,” Sanjoy said.

No suicide note was found on Ranjit, but Barasat subdivisional police officer J. Biswas said he did not suspect any foul play.