Five members of a family, including three children, died by suicide at their rented home in Gujarat's Ahmedabad by consuming a poisonous substance, police said on Sunday.
The deceased have been identified as Vipul Kanji Waghela (34), his wife Sonal Waghela (26), and their children — two daughters aged 11 and 5, and an 8-year-old son. The family hailed from Dholka, a town in Ahmedabad district, reported news agency ANI.
Police said that prima facie, it appears the family died by suicide after consuming poison inside their flat in Bavla near the city.
The incident occurred in Bagodara village, and police were informed about it around 2 AM, according to Ahmedabad (Rural) Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Jat, as quoted by news agency PTI.
The SP said that the man, who died along with his family, used to drive an auto-rickshaw for a living. The bodies have been sent to a local hospital for postmortem, the official added.
Cops have not uncovered the exact motive behind the act. “The reason behind their suicide is unknown,” Prakash said. The police further confirmed that a probe is underway.
This incident is the latest in a series of similar tragedies reported across the country in recent months.
Panchkula family suicide
In May, a 42-year-old man in Panchkula, Haryana, along with six members of his family, died by suicide inside a parked car in Sector 27. In his final moments, he told a local resident that he was under heavy debt and had no one to turn to.
{{/usCountry}}In May, a 42-year-old man in Panchkula, Haryana, along with six members of his family, died by suicide inside a parked car in Sector 27. In his final moments, he told a local resident that he was under heavy debt and had no one to turn to.
{{/usCountry}}According to the resident, the man identified the deceased as his wife, father, mother, son, and two daughters, and admitted they had all consumed poison.
Police recover suicide notes citing financial distress; CCTV reveals family's final movements
Police later recovered two suicide notes from the site. In the notes, the deceased businessman allegedly mentioned financial losses and mounting burden as the reasons for taking the extreme step, while making it clear he did not blame anyone for the decision.
CCTV footage examined during the investigation showed that the family left their home in Saketri in the morning, then rented two rooms at Sector 12 Bhawan before heading to Sector 27, where their bodies were eventually discovered in the night.
In another May incident, a 40-year-old man allegedly gave his wife and children a poison-laced drink in Sangam Park, Delhi, before consuming it himself. His 15-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son died during treatment, and he succumbed later.