Four family members die in suspected suicide pact in MP's Sagar

Sagar, July 26 (IANS) In a disturbing incident, four members of a family were found dead in a suspected mass suicide in Tehar village of Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district in the wee hours of Saturday.

The victims, identified as Manohar Lodhi (45), his mother Phulrani (70), daughter Shivani (18), and son Aniket (16), allegedly consumed celphos tablets, a highly toxic pesticide, according to preliminary police findings.

The tragedy occurred around 3.00 am when Manohar's brother, Nandram Singh Lodhi, who resides on the upper floor of the farmhouse, heard violent coughing and vomiting from the ground floor.

Upon rushing downstairs, he discovered the entire family in distress. He immediately alerted neighbours and called for medical assistance. Despite swift efforts, Phulrani and Aniket were declared dead at the scene.

Shivani succumbed at Khurai Civil Hospital, while Manohar died en route to the district hospital in Sagar.

Khurai Urban Police Station In-charge Yogendra Singh Dangi confirmed that the victims had ingested celphos tablets.

The substance appears to be celphos, based on initial medical assessment. The motive remains unclear, he said.

The police are investigating all possible angles, including family-related issues. Manohar's wife had reportedly left for her maternal home a few days ago, and was not present during the incident.

The family lived in a farmhouse on the outskirts of Tehar village, along with another brother who is intellectually disabled.

Two other brothers reside in the village proper. No suicide note has been recovered, and police have not ruled out the possibility of a suicide pact.

Post-mortem examinations are underway, and statements from surviving family members and neighbours have been recorded to ascertain the circumstances leading to the deaths.

Earlier last month, four members of a family in Dewas district also ended their lives by consuming a poisonous substance.

The family was in distress after one of its members had married a close relative, leading to social insults.

Celphos poisoning remains a major public health concern in rural India, particularly in Madhya Pradesh, where the substance is easily accessible and often misused.

It contains aluminium phosphide, which has a fatality rate exceeding 60 per cent, with no known antidote.

Timely medical intervention is critical, but the survival chance is rare once symptoms escalate.

--IANS

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