Seven members of family found dead at their residence in Gujarat's Surat
The Hindu
The bodies of the seven deceased were found in an apartment in Adajan locality, police said
Seven members of a family, including three children, were found dead at their residence in Surat city of Gujarat on Saturday, with the police suspecting it to be a case of mass suicide.
The bodies of the seven deceased were found in an apartment in Adajan locality, police said, adding that a note was also recovered from their house which says that the family was taking the extreme step out of financial distress.
Police found that six persons died apparently due to consuming some poisonous substance, while one was found hanging.
"A man, his wife, his parents, the couple's six-year-old son and two daughters aged 10 and 13 were found dead at their residence in Siddheshwar Apartment in Surat this afternoon. We are trying to ascertain the exact cause of their death," DCP (Zone-5) R.P. Barot said.
While the man – Manish Solanki (37) who worked as a contractor – was found hanging, the bodies of six members of his family, including three children, were found lying on the bed and the floor of the house. The six family members appeared to have died after consuming a poisonous substance, the official said.
As per the note recovered from the house, the family took the extreme step out of financial distress caused after being unable to recover money lent to someone, Mr. Barot said, adding that a bottle, which apparently contained the poisonous substance, has also been recovered.
While residents are worried over deaths due to diarrhoea in Vijayawada, officials still grapple to find the root cause. Contaminated drinking water supplied by VMC officials is the reason, insist people in the affected areas, but officials insist that efforts are on to identify the disease and that those with symptoms other than diarrhoea too are visiting the health camps.