A tragic incident has rocked Karnataka’s Mandya district after three members of a family were found dead in what police suspect to be a case of murder followed by suicide. Police say a man killed his wife and son before committing suicide and left behind a note that supposedly said he had financial problems and mounting debt.
The deceased were Prabhakar, his wife Jyothi and their son Santhosh. Family members discovered the victims in their home and notified authorities.
Prabhakar had a clothing business and had borrowed money to run and expand his clothing business, according to the initial findings. Investigators say a note that was written by him was recovered from the scene. The note showed he had not only financial hardships, but also a declining business and pressure from lenders as reasons for his distress, the investigators said.
Mandya Superintendent of Police Shobharani said the note was about the economic hardships of the family and the difficulty of repaying loans. Police are investigating the contents of the note as part of the ongoing investigation. There is no independent verification of all the claims in the document.
The investigators believe that the incident occurred during the early hours of the night. Prabhakar allegedly killed his wife and son at their residence before leaving for his garment shop, where he later died by suicide.
According to reports, Jyothi was first attacked. During the incident, Santhosh intervened, after which he was also a victim. Police are still collecting forensic evidence to establish the exact sequence of events.
The tragedy is even more heartbreaking because Santhosh had been married just about a half month ago; family members said his new wife was unaware of what was happening that night.
The young woman woke up in the morning and went about her normal household routine, relatives said. When she later went to wake her mother-in-law, she saw what was happening and realised something was terribly wrong.
The family is also survived by a daughter, who is still living in Bengaluru. She rushed to Mandya after receiving news of the tragedy.
Police have registered a case and launched a detailed investigation into all aspects of the incident. To understand what led to the tragedy, financial records, loan-related documents and statements from relatives and acquaintances are being examined.
The incident has prompted discussion on the financial stress faced by small business owners and traders, especially those who are saddled with debt and changing market conditions. But authorities have warned against concluding until the investigation is over and all the evidence has been examined.
While the community grieves for the loss of three lives, police are investigating the full circumstances of one of the most tragic family incidents that have happened in Mandya in recent years.
