Debt forces couple, 4 daughters to end lives

HUBBALLI: Six members of a family ended their lives by consuming poison in Metagall village in Koppal rural police station limits on Friday. The incident came to light on Saturday morning.
The deceased are Shekharayya Bidnal, 48, his wife Jayamma, 39, daughters Basamma, 23, Gouramma, 20, Savitri,18, and Parvati,16. According to police, the family might have taken the extreme step due to financial and domestic problems.The family allegedly consumed liquid pesticide by mixing it in soft drinks. Jayamma and the girls were found dead in the kitchen. Shekharayya, who had consumed poison, was found hanging. Besides pesticide and soft drink bottles, police recovered a death note from Shekharayya’s pocket.
According to police, Shekharayya had availed loans but had suffered crop loss. He had also borrowed money from lenders for the marriage of his daughters. Police suspect that he might have gone into depression after the failed marriages of his eldest daughter and the second one, who was deserted by her husband over dowry. Shekharayya was also upset with his brothers as they allegedly denied him his rightful share of land. Based on the death note, police registered a case against his daughters’ in-laws and brothers.
SP Renuka Sukumar said it was not clear whether all the family members decided to end their lives or Shekharayya poisoned them before killing himself. “We are awaiting the postmortem report.