A 45-year-old trader and his daughter died after he allegedly mixed poison in a soft drink and consumed it along with his children due to financial distress in Kerala’s Alappuzha district.
The deceased has been identified as Manoj, a resident of Mannar near Chengannur. His wife is Jyoti and the couple has three daughters — Sivanandana (12), Sivaganga (7) and Sivakirthi.
According to police, Manoj picked up his two elder daughters from school on the evening of the incident and was returning home by car.
During the journey, he stopped the vehicle at a place on the way and allegedly gave the two girls a soft drink that had been mixed with poison. He later consumed the drink himself.
Sivaganga reportedly found the drink bitter and spat it out after consuming a small quantity. Soon after, Manoj and his elder daughter Sivanandana lost consciousness inside the car.
Alarmed by the situation, Sivaganga got out of the vehicle and informed passers-by about what had happened. She later also fainted. Local residents rushed the three to a nearby private hospital. However, Manoj and Sivanandana died while undergoing treatment. Sivaganga remains in critical condition. Police said preliminary investigation revealed that Manoj had been facing severe financial problems in his business and was reportedly under stress due to mounting debts.
The Mannar police have registered a case and further investigation is under way. The incident has caused shock and grief in the locality.
