Ganjam: A 45-year-old woman, her son and daughter allegedly died by su*cide after consuming pesticide-laced rice in Ganjam district, police said Monday. The incident took place at Palibandha village in Ganjam police station area.
The deceased were identified as S Mama Reddy, 45, her son Rakesh, 21 – a student of diploma in engineering – and daughter Meena, 18 – a class 12 student, a police officer said.
The husband of the woman, S Rabindra Kumar Reddy, died around three years ago in a road accident in Chennai. The family was supposed to receive Rs 15 lakh compensation next week for Rabindra’s death.
Police seized pesticide sachets from the house, which were suspected to have been used in the rice consumed by them, the officer said.
The pesticide is commonly used to preserve rice from insects. However, the exact motive behind the act remains unclear, and multiple angles are being explored, the officer added.
Villagers reportedly told the police that the family members were noticeably absent from a community gathering Sunday. Concerned neighbours later visited their house and discovered the three lying unconscious. They rushed them to Ganjam and Chhatrapur medical centres before they were shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur.
Former Sarpanch Dillip Kumar Chhotaray, who reached the hospital upon receiving the information, said Rakesh was frothing at the mouth during the journey. He added that Mama died first, followed by her son and daughter, who passed away around 3 am.
“They were a quiet and kind family. No one expected them to take such an extreme step,” Chhotaray told reporters.
Speculation has arisen that the incident could be linked to a personal relationship involving one of the deceased. However, the simultaneous su*cides of all three family members have raised significant questions. Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended on the village when the bodies were brought in the afternoon.
The family’s elderly matriarch (mother-in-law of Mama), S Lakshmi, 75, was seen sobbing uncontrollably. “We were a happy family. I don’t know why they took such a decision,” she said. Villager S Ramachandra Reddy alleged that the ambulance failed to arrive at the Chhatrapur facility for over an hour, forcing them to use a private vehicle to shift the victims to the hospital at Behrampur.
IIC Sumitra Patra said investigations are on to find the causes of the deaths. “We are awaiting the post-mortem and forensic reports. The exact causes will be known once the reports are available,” she said.
Chhatrapur MLA Krushna Chandra Nayak met the surviving member of the family, S Lakshmi, along with BDO Achyutananda Jani and Tehsildar Sukanta Chandra Mishra, and offered his condolences. As part of immediate relief efforts, an ex gratia of `90,000 was provided from the Indian Red Cross Society’s emergency fund to Lakshmi.
