KOCHI: A father killed his two children by throwing them into the river Periyar on Saturday evening before dying by suicide by jumping into the same river.
The incident occurred around 4.30 pm when the father threw his son first and later daughter into a river before he jumped.
Though a few onlookers conducted a rescue operation after seeing the incident and fished out the two children from the river first, their life couldn't be saved. The two were declared brought dead at a nearby hospital. The body of the father was later found by the fire and rescue team along with help of local people. The father was identified as Ullas Hariharan of Palarivattom.
Police said the boy identified as Ekanath was aged around 13 while the girl named Krishnapriya was said to be aged around 17. Police have launched a probe to collect more details about them. The bodies were shifted for post-mortem. Police were yet to ascertain the reason for the father to commit such an act.
"We are trying to collect more details," police said. Meanwhile, a few local residents claimed that the man was an alcoholic and there were domestic issues in the family.
Police said a few people in the area had noticed the father and the two children loitering on the bridge for some time, but none expected such a development. It was only when they heard a loud cry of the girl child, the people nearby saw him throwing the boy first in the river followed by the girl.