KOPPAL: In a shocker, an 18-year-old boy stabbed his father and sister to death in Koppal during a scuffle over his addiction to online betting. He also stabbed his mother and himself after a heated argument.
Both have been admitted to a hospital. The incident was reported from Hosa Ayodhya village in Gangavathi taluk of Koppal district late on Saturday night.
The Gangavathi Rural police, who registered a case, said the accused, Sai Venkata Mandeep, was addicted to online betting and had lost over Rs 15 lakh of the family money in the last one year.
On Saturday night, when his parents advised him against his addiction, Mandeep took hold of a kitchen knife and attacked them and his sister. His father, Venkatanaydu (45), a cook at a private school, and his sister Pragati (19) died, while his mother Soujanya was admitted to the Ballari Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) in Ballari city. Mandeep too is being treated there.
Tata Rao, father of deceased Venkatanaydu, said, “On Saturday, we had clashes on the issue (online betting) throughout the day. When we went to sleep at night, Mandeep attacked his father, mother and sister. Pragati died on the spot, while my son died while being taken to hospital. I escaped and alerted the neighbours,” he recalled.
Koppal SP Ram L Arasiddi visited the spot. The police said the family’s finances were in doldrums because of Mandeep’s addiction.