SIDDIPET: Allegedly under pressure due to mounting debts, an Armed Reserve (AR) constable died by suicide after feeding his family members poison-laced drinks at their residence in the town late on Saturday. While he was declared dead early on Sunday, his wife and two children survived.
According to police, the constable, G Balakrishna, 34, used to work in the 17th Battalion of Rajanna Sircilla district. On Saturday night, he gave a glass of water laced with poison to his wife, Manasa, 30. Later, he served milk mixed with poison to his two sons - Yashwanth, 11, and Ashwith, nine - before consuming some in a glass to die by suicide. However, it is reported that the poison did not affect Balakrishna, prompting him to hang himself from the ceiling.
On Sunday morning, Manasa woke up to see her husband hanging and alerted their relatives, who rushed him to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
One Town sub-inspector S Vasudeva Rao said Balakrishna had put `25 lakh into online betting and incurred massive losses. It is believed that he had taken the amount as loan from his relatives and friends at high interest rates. As he was unable to repay the amount, he was feeling increasingly stressed which prompted him to take the extreme step, the SI added.
Siddipet police have registered a case and begun the investigation.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)