Man hangs self, 5 kids; dies along with 3 daughters, 2 sons survive

The deceased was identified as Amarnath Ram and his three daughters, Radha Kumari, Radhika and Shivani. He, according to locals, committed suicide because of economic hardships.

In a heart wrenching incident, a Mahadalit family of six including three daughter and two son, attempted suicide at Nawalpur Mishrauliya village falling under Sakra police station of Muzaffarpur police station, police said on Monday. Father and his three daughters died, while two sons somehow survived.

Man hangs self, 5 kids; dies along with 3 daughters, 2 sons survive

The deceased was identified as Amarnath Ram and his three daughters, Radha Kumari, Radhika and Shivani. According to locals, the girls were in the age group of 7-11 years. He is said to have attempted mass suicide because of economic hardships in raising children after the death of his wife some time back.

On getting information the police team reached the spot and started an investigation. The incident came to light on Monday morning.

The man’s two sons -- aged 6 and 4 -- who survived came out of the house screaming for help. They informed the villagers about the incident. “Our father used mother’s saree, tightened it around our necks, hung the saree with the roof and asked everyone to climb on the steel trunk and jump from the trunk,” said the surviving sons.

Before the extreme step, the family members took dinner jointly and had scrambled eggs, potatoes, soybean vegetables with rice. My sister cooked the food, said one of the sons, adding that their mother had already died in March this year and father looked after them.

He recalled that their father woke everyone at midnight. “I was playing a game on mobile so I couldn’t sleep. All the family members jumped with my father. As the saree was tied loosely, I somehow pulled the saree out of the trap when I felt pain in my throat. After this, I untied the noose from my younger brother, went out and sought help from neighbours,” said the son.

On hearing their screams, neighbours came and they pulled the father and daughters out of the noose, but they could not save them.

Providing details about the incident, Muzaffarpur SSP Sushil Kumar said, “The exact cause of the incident is yet to be ascertained. The matter is being investigated from all angles. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.”

However, locals termed the incident a case of mass suicide and also informed police that Ram was under extreme financial stress and was not able to handle family affairs properly after the death of his wife.

“He took extreme steps due to economic hardship, there was no electricity in the house and no food items,” said the man’s uncle.