Baby dies of starvation after 4 adults end lives

A girl, around 2 years old, survived the trauma

September 18, 2021 02:19 am | Updated November 22, 2021 09:40 pm IST - Bengaluru

 

A nine-month-old boy is believed to have died of starvation after his mother, his grandmother, and two other adult members of the family allegedly ended their lives around three days ago, leaving him and his 2.5 year-old cousin alone. The girl barely survived the trauma and is undergoing treatment, said the police.

The bodies were discovered at the family’s residence in Thigalarapalya on Friday night. “Going by the heavily decomposed state, we suspect they may have killed themselves at least three to four days ago, but are waiting for the postmortem report,” said the police.

The incident came to light when the children’s grandfather, Shankar, who was away, returned home on Friday evening and was unable to enter the house. He informed Byadarahalli Police who rushed to the two-storeyed house the family lived in and broke open the door.

They found four bodies, one in each room: Shankar’s wife Bharathi (51) and their three children, Sinchana (34), the mother of the girl who survived; Sindhurani (31) the mother of the baby boy, and Madhusagar (25) all dead in different rooms. Police also found the body of the nine-month-old baby boy - Sindhurani’s son - on the bed.

Police rescued Sinchana’s 2.5 year-old daughter, who was very feeble but conscious. “It is a miracle she survived the ordeal. It may have been at least three days since the adults died,” said Soumendu Mukherjee, Additional Commissioner (West), who visited the spot. The girl was rushed to a nearby private hospital where she is being treated. Doctors have said her condition is stable, the police said.

Sealed windows

The two toddlers may have cried, but nobody in the neighbourhood seemed to have heard anything in the last few days, police said. “One of the reasons could be that not only the door but all windows of the house were also latched from inside,” police officials who visited the spot said.

“The adults were found hanging in different rooms of the house, not together. It is rare for four people - mother and her children - to come to the same state of mind. It is either a suicide pact, or one person committing suicide to which others reacted by ending their lives. It cannot also be ruled out. It is especially shocking that they have left toddlers behind, one of whom may have died of starvation,” said a senior police official.

He added that the elder daughter Sinchana had separated from her husband and had been living with the family, while the younger daughter, mother of the nine-month-old baby who died, had come for the delivery.

Shankar runs a press and brings out a tabloid newspaper, Shasakara Varthe . He told police that he left home in a huff on Sunday afternoon following a tiff with his son over a ₹10 lakh chit fund only to return home Friday evening.

Where he was during these five days, he has not been very forthcoming, a senior official said. Shankar reportedly told the police that nobody answered his calls for the last two-three days which he put down to them being upset with him.

 

Byadarahalli Police have registered a case of unnatural death and are further probing the case.

( Those in distress or those having suicidal tendencies can call Arogya Sahayavani ph:104 for help)

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