Madurai: Loss in business forces 6 of family to commit suicide

The deceased were identified as Jegajothi, her sons, Velmurugan, Kurinji Kumaran, Devi, wife of Velmurugan, Jeyasakthi, daughter of Velmurugan, and Dharani, daughter of Kurinji Kumaran.

On Sunday, eight persons in the family mixed poison in milk and consumed it in their house located at Yagappa Nagar in Madurai. Police sources said that when one of the neighbours peeped through the window of Jegajothi’s house, she noticed all of them lying on the floor with froth in their mouth. She immediately contacted 108 ambulance service even as she alerted the neighbours for help.

When other neighbours arrived, they broke open the front door and waited for the ambulance but as there was delay in its arrival, called for the services of a mini bus and sent them all to the hospital. Jegajothi, Velmurugan, Kurinji Kumaran, Jeyasakthi and Dharani had died in the house itself. Devi, Jeyasakthi, daughter of Velmurugan, and Jeya Monika, second daughter of Kurinji Kumaran, were battling for life. However, Devi died in hospital without responding to treatment. Two more were critical, police sources said.