Couple, 2 sons die by suicide in Rajasthan's Barmer

Four members of a family, including a woman, allegedly died by suicide by jumping into a water tank in Rajasthan's Barmer district, police said Wednesday.

The incident occurred in Undu village of the district where Shivlal (35), his wife Kavita (32), and their two sons, aged 8 and 6, were found dead on Tuesday evening in a tank outside their home in Brahmano Ki Dhani in Sheo Police Station limits.

According to preliminary investigation, Shivlal allegedly jumped into the tank along with his family after locking the house.

The incident came to light after his younger brother, unable to reach the couple on the phone, sent a neighbour to check, following which the police were alerted.

Sheo DSP Manaram Garg said, "The bodies were found in the tank on Tuesday evening. The in-laws were informed, and the retrieval was done on Wednesday morning in their presence as they could not arrive at night."

The bodies were sent to the mortuary at the Bhiyad CHC for post-mortem.

Gopilal, Kavita's uncle, told reporters, "Shivlal wanted to build a separate house with funds sanctioned under PM Awas Yojana. But his brother and mother did not allow it. This constant harassment forced him to write a suicide note on June 29."  According to the family, although Shivlal wrote the note two days earlier, he did not act on it immediately. But on Tuesday, after his mother left to visit his brother in Barmer and his father was away for religious work, Shivlal and Kavita turned off their phones and allegedly took the drastic step.

Police recorded statements of relatives from both sides, and officials said they are investigating allegations of domestic harassment under IPC sections related to abetment of suicide.

Sheo Police said further inquiries would consider the contents of the alleged suicide note and family disputes as part of the probe.