Seven members of two families dead over domestic problems in Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati, June 19 (IANS) Seven members of two families, including five minors, died in two separate incidents in Andhra Pradesh, with domestic problems said to be the cause, police said on Friday.

A man killed his three children before hanging himself, while a woman, along with two children, flung themselves under a train. The incidents occurred in Prakasam and Srikakulam districts, respectively.

A man killed his three minor daughters before killing himself in Agraharam village in Chimakurthy mandal of Prakasam.

Ekula Sudhakar, 35, poisoned his children to death before hanging himself. Upset over his wife not returning from her parents’ house, Sudhakar killed his daughters, Gochita, 13, Pujita, 11, and Lokita, 8, by giving them poison in their food.

After all three girls died, he went to a field on the outskirts of the village and hanged himself.

Police shifted the bodies for a post-mortem examination. A police officer said they have registered a case and are taking up the investigation.

In the second incident in Srikakulam district, a woman, along with her two children, died by suicide by coming under a running train.

The bodies of Puja, 28, her son Kushant, 5, and daughter Dikshitha, 3, were found on the railway track between Palasa and Talabadra. Locals alerted the railway police.

Police shifted the bodies to the mortuary of a nearby government hospital and took up the investigation.

The woman is believed to have resorted to the extreme step due to some domestic problems. Preliminary investigation by the police revealed that Puja had differences with her husband.

Hailing from Bhavanapadu in Srikakulam, Puja had married Venkataiah of Chalamayyapeta in the same district eight years ago.

The family was residing in Vijayawada, and they had come to Chalamayyapeta for summer holidays.

Puja had left the house with her children on Thursday morning. They reported having spent Thursday night at Palasa railway station. Later, she, along with the children, went on the railway track, sat there holding them tightly as a speeding train ran over them.

Puja’s mother alleged that she died by suicide with her children due to harassment by her in-laws.

–IANS

ms/vd