Five members of a family committed suicide by consuming poison at Kizhakemukkola here on Saturday afternoon. The police said the debt-ridden family took the extreme step following threats from blade mafia.
The deceased are Manoharan Asari, 62, of ‘Sree Sai Bhavan’, Sivaji Nagar, Kizhakemukkola; his wife Maheswari, 55, sons Biju, 35, Saju, 34 and Biju’s wife Krishnendu, 27. Biju, an MBA holder, was active in share trade and had invested borrowed money around `2.5 crore from a close relative and the house was pledged to a loan shark for `50 lakh, the police said.“As they failed to repay the amount, they were asked to vacate the residence which is suspected to have led to the extreme step,” the police said. The family had send an SMS to a relative in the noon indicating that they would commit suicide. Police have taken three people into custody and are questioning them for possible involvement in the case. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has directed DGP Balasubramanian to act tough against blade mafias. “ Strict action will be taken against officials who help loan sharks,” said a statement by the Minister.