Kollam (Keralam) |A young couple who had chosen to live together despite opposition from their families were found dead in Sasthamcotta Lake in this district, in an apparent suicide, police said here on Sunday.

Abhirami, 19, and Rajeev, 26, are believed to have reached the lake on Saturday evening and jumped into the water. Their bodies were recovered on Sunday morning.

According to police, the two had been in a relationship for some time and had been living together in recent months. Their relationship had earlier led to intervention by the police after their families approached them.

When the couple was called to the police station recently, they told the police that they had decided to live together and gave a written statement to that effect, signed by both of them.

They continued to live together after that, but were not on good terms with their families.

On Saturday evening, the couple went to Sasthamcotta Lake. Their bags were later found on the shore, police said.

Medicines were also found in Rajeev's bag.

Police said they were looking into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and whether the couple had been under emotional distress because of their strained relationship with their families.

Abhirami's family had sent her to Karnataka for nursing studies, but she discontinued her studies about two months later and returned to her village to live with Rajeev, according to the police.