Farmer, wife die by suicide; their 3 children hospitalised in Gujarat

Sabarkantha, Gujarat: A farmer and his wife died after they and their three teenaged children allegedly consumed a poisonous substance in an attempt to commit suicide in Gujarat's Sabarkantha district, police said on Sunday.

The exact reason behind the incident, which took place in Vadali town, was not yet clear, an official said.

The couple, their two sons and a daughter started vomiting on Saturday morning, following which some neighbours called an ambulance and the five family members were rushed to a private hospital for treatment, Vadali police station's sub-inspector Raviraj Joshi said.

"From there, they were referred to the civil hospital in Himmatnagar around afternoon. The man died in the evening, while his wife passed away in the wee hours of Sunday," he said.

"The man was a farmer, and the exact reason why the family took the extreme step is not yet clear. The matter is currently under investigation," the official said.

The deceased have been identified as Vinu Sagar (42) and his wife Kokilaben (40). Their three children - 19-year-old daughter and sons aged 17 and 18 -- are undergoing treatment and in stable condition, the official said.

The Vadali police registered a case of accidental death and further probe being conducted into it, he said.