Gujarat: 7 family members found dead, police suspect mass suicide
In a tragic incident, seven family members, including three children, were found dead in their home on Palanpur Jakatnaka Road in Gujarat's Surat on Saturday. The Gujarat Police said that six of the victims allegedly died after taking poison, while the seventh was found hanging. A suicide note was also found in the residence, which says that the family was taking this drastic step due to financial difficulties.
Suicide note allegedly cited financial difficulties
The victims have been identified as Manish Solanki (37), his wife Rita, his father Kanu, his mother Shobha, and their three young children, Disha, Kavya, and Kusha. Solanki allegedly died by hanging from a ceiling fan. Deputy Commissioner (DCP) Rakesh Barot said, "It appears mostly to be an economic problem." However, the nature of their financial troubles remains unknown.
How the bodies were discovered
Solanki was in the furniture business and oversaw a team of about 35 carpenters and laborers. When his employees were unable to contact him via phone calls or door knocks on Saturday morning, they became worried. Local residents eventually broke a window at the back of the house to enter the property and came across the horrifying scene. The police were then called in to conduct further investigations.
Similar incident in Surat
In a similar incident, four family members in Surat were found dead in an apparent mass suicide in June. The victims included a 50-year-old man, his 45-year-old wife, a 20-year-old son, and a 17-year-old daughter. They reportedly took this step due to financial hardships, which may be connected to the diamond industry's slowdown caused by the Russia-Ukraine crisis. The man, a diamond polisher, reportedly experienced a drop in income from Rs. 25,000-30,000 per month to Rs. 15,000, per reports.
Please seek assistance if you are having suicidal thoughts
If you or anyone you know is suffering from suicidal thoughts, please seek help. You can get in touch with AASRA for suicide prevention counseling by ringing 022-27546669 (24 hours). You can also contact the Hyderabad-based Roshni NGO at +914066202000 or COOJ at +918322252525. Sneha India Foundation can also be contacted at +914424640050. Vandrevala Foundation also has trained counselors; its contact number is +91-9999666555. Similar helpline numbers have also been established in other states.
