Bengaluru: Woman, her two sons found dead; police suspect suicide due to debt

A mother and her two sons, residing in the third phase of south Bengaluru, committed suicide by setting themselves on fire on Wednesday

A mother and her two sons allegedly died by suicide on Wednesday by setting themselves on fire on Wednesday, in third phase of southern Bengaluru, police said. The charred bodies of the three family members were discovered by neighbours.

The charred bodies of the three family members were discovered by neighbours. (Representational Image)

The deceased individuals were identified as a 48-year-old mother and her 28-year-old twin sons. According to the police, it is suspected that the mother may have taken the drastic step due to mounting financial hardships. The family, originally from Udupi, had been living in the city for past five years. The father and the three deceased were residents of the house where the distressing event occurred.

According to people familiar with the matter, the father had suffered substantial losses in his business during the Covid lockdown. In an effort to sustain the family, the woman had started giving tuitions to supplement their income. However, one of their sons had recently lost his job, further exacerbating their financial woes. Meanwhile, the father’s health had deteriorated, rendering him bedridden and worsening their circumstances.

JP Nagar police inspector N. Radha Krishna said, “Preliminary investigation confirmed that the family had taken a loan of ₹10 lakh over the years from a private bank and some money lenders. We have registered a case and are awaiting an autopsy report.”

According to the police, the private bank loan recovery agents had been pressuring the family to repay the loans. On Tuesday evening, the bank agents visited the house and pressured them to clear the loans, which may have contributed to the incident, the police added. The bodies have been sent to Victoria Hospital for a post-mortem examination.