Bengaluru: In a tragic incident, a depressed youth poisoned his parents and three sisters to death and had spent an entire day with the dead bodies, before committing suicide by hanging at his residence in MPM Layout in Nagarabhavi on Wednesday.
The deceased are Gangahanumaiah (57) a telephone mechanic in Bharath Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Malleshwaram, his wife Jayalakshamma (54), a paralytic patient. Their first daughter Hemalatha (30), a software engineer in a private company in Electronic City, second daughter Vimala (28), a junior engineer in Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) and their last daughter Nethravathi (24), an engineering student in a private college. The accused Yatish is a college drop- out and unemployed.
The incident came to light when their tenant Chandrashekar, residing on the first floor, noticed no movements from the family from the past two days.
Initially he thought that the family members were busy with personal works, but on Thursday morning, he sensed something was wrong and went on knocking the door but there was no response.
He also tried calling Gangahanumaiah over his phone but he did not get a response. He went and peeped through the window and found Yatish hanging in the drawing room. He alerted the neighbours, who informed the police.
The police rushed to the spot and broke open the door to find Yatish was hanging and his father was found lying on the ground in the hall while his mother and Netravathi were found dead in one bed room while Hemalatha and Vimala were found in another bedroom.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, (west division) Labhuram who visited the spot said, ” It looks like the son had given the parents and sisters food laced with poison and then he hanged himself. There is no sign of struggle or injury mark found on any of the body, he said.
Alok Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), told media, ” It is suspected that Yatish had planned it meticulously and poisoned his family members and then hung himself. Certain food items have been found and it has been sent for examination. The type of poison used is yet to be identified.” , Alok Kumar said and added that the investigations are on to ascertain the cause of death.
Neighbours saw Gangahanumaiah and his two daughters going to work while Netravathy went to college on Tuesday. The neighbours have also seen the family members’ movement inside the house on Tuesday night, hence the police suspected that Yatish might have fed them dinner laced with poison.
Kasturi a domestic help working in the house told the police that she was working for the past seven months . She had come to work on Wednesday morning at seven, but Yatish sent her back stating that he is busy and asked her to come on the next day.
