Kasaragod (Kerala), Aug 28; Three members of a family allegedly died by suicide, and their younger son is in critical condition, after they reportedly consumed acid at their residence in Ambalathara of Kasaragod district in northern Kerala, the police said on Thursday.

Police suspect the incident was triggered by severe financial distress following the family’s business loss.

The deceased have been identified as Gopi (60), his wife K.V. Indira (58), and their elder son Ranjesh (34). Their younger son, Ragesh (27), is currently battling for life at the Government Medical College in Pariyaram in the neighbouring Kannur district, said the police.

According to the Ambalathara police, the incident occurred around 3.30 a.m. on Thursday. Ragesh managed to alert a relative, prompting neighbours and the police to rush all four to a nearby hospital.

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Gopi died en route to the nearby hospital, while Indira and Ranjesh succumbed on the way to the medical college hospital in Pariyaram.

Preliminary investigations by the police revealed that the family had been facing huge financial constraints after their grocery business at Chementhodu was shut down due to losses.

The police said Rajnesh and Ragesh had worked in Dubai before returning two years ago, after which they used their savings to start a grocery store in their native village. But soon their business ran into losses, and unable to cope, the brothers took up various daily wage jobs to earn a livelihood, the police added.

Neighbours said that a day before the tragedy, Gopi, his wife, and their sons had visited relatives’ houses and temples in the area. The police said Ragesh called his uncle’s wife for help in taking them to a hospital soon after taking the extreme step.

An unnatural death case has been registered, and further investigation is underway, police said

(IANS/NS)

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