Greater Noida: Couple dies, 3 kids critical in case of ‘poisoning’, murder-suicide attempt suspected

Officials are probing probable motives in the case including if it was a case of poisoning, possibly an instance of attempted murder-suicide by the parents.

A husband and wife were found dead and their three children hospitalised in critical condition in Greater Noida on Thursday, investigators familiar with the case said.

Police have so far established that the last meal consumed by the family was the dinner. (Representational)

Officials said they are still probing probable motives in the case including if it was a case of poisoning, possibly an instance of attempted murder-suicide by the parents. So far, they have found no evidence of financial distress or any direct trigger.

The incident occurred in Sadullapur village. The family was discovered unconscious inside their locked home after relatives raised an alarm on Thursday morning. Prima facie, all five showed signs of poisoning, according to additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP), central Noida, Santosh Kumar.

They were rushed to a local hospital, where the parents, aged 42 and 38, were declared dead. Their children – a 10-year-old daughter, an 8-year-old son, and a 4-year-old daughter – were transferred to a Delhi hospital in critical condition. The mother was five months pregnant, police said.

“The matter is under investigation, but at present it appears to be a case of suicide,” said Kumar.

Based on the information given to the investigators by the 10-year-old daughter, police have so far established that the last meal consumed by the family was the dinner. On Thursday, at around 8:30 am, the 10-year-old woke up and told her grandfather that her parents were not waking up.

Investigators are awaiting post-mortem and forensic reports to identify the poisonous substance, suspected to have been mixed in the dinner.

(With inputs from Asmita Seth).