Migrant family of three found dead in Karnataka, police suspect suicide
A family of three were found dead on Monday morning in their house in Sudduguntepalya on Monday morning, said police, adding that the circumstances in which the bodies were found suggested a case of death of suicide
A family of three were found dead on Monday morning in their house in Sudduguntepalya on Monday morning, said police, adding that the circumstances in which the bodies were found suggested a case of death of suicide.
The deceased included a 38-year-old woman, her 14-year-old son and her 68-year-old mother, said police. Southeast deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Sara Fathima, who examined the scene on Monday, said, “Our preliminary investigation shows that the woman was facing immense financial stress. She had handed the food stall she ran to another person, and had not received any kind of payment in return,” she said, adding that the family was living in the city for a little over a year and was originally from Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu.
“The investigation also suggests that she was under pressure to pay dues to lenders in Dharmapuri,” added the DCP, adding that the family’s brief history of small business ventures in the city told a story of mounting losses and unpaid debts.
Police said that investigations indicated that the woman allegedly administered poison to her son around 9am and consumed it herself soon after. DCP Fathima said early assumptions about the grandmother taking poison were ruled out later. “There were rumors that the grandmother also consumed poison. Postmortem has now confirmed that she died of cardiac arrest, triggered by shock after witnessing her daughter and grandson collapse,” she said.
The DCP said that investigators recovered a handwritten note, purportedly written by the mother. “The note listed the phone numbers of people who allegedly owed her money. We are verifying every name mentioned. We are also investigating whether harassment or threats from lenders pushed her to take this step,” said Fathima.
The bodies have been sent for post mortem examination to confirm cause of death, and a case of unnatural death has been filed, said police..
