Distressed at being linked to village murder, family of three dies by suicide

Mukesh Tandon
Tribune News Service
Panipat, December 22

A couple and their young son died by suicide in their house near the Punjab border, police sources said on Wednesday.

Villagers from Dhanori village in Jind were in for a shock when they found the couple, 49-year-old Omprakash, his 45-year-old wife Kamlesh, and their 20-year-old son Sonu hanging.  Police said that neighbours got suspicious when the house was unusually silent and none of its members were seen outside. After their calls elicited no response, some people forced their way into the house to find the bodies, police said.

Garhi Station House Officer Pawan Kumar said a recent murder in the village could be behind Wednesday’s suicides. On November 21, police found a body with a rope around his neck stuffed in a sack and dumped in a nearby drain. Police identified that victim as Nanha and said that although investigations in that case are still underway, Nanha’s family has accused Sonu and his uncle Balraj of having a hand in it.

Balraj, Omprakash’s brother, drank poison and killed himself soon after the allegations.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Kuldeep Singh claimed that in a video recorded before they killed themselves, the suicide victims said they were distressed at their name being linked to Nanha’s death and said they felt helpless because nobody would believe them.     

Nanha’s family meanwhile has been booked for abetment of suicide (Section 306); criminal intimidation (section 506); and rioting (Section 147) among various sections of the Indian Penal Code.