The post-mortem report of 77-year-old Narayan Devi has stated that ante-mortem hanging led to her death, with the police coming to the conclusion that she was not assisted by any other member of the family while allegedly performing a puja on July 1.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Alok Kumar said, “The board of doctors has given its opinion on Devi’s death. Ante-mortem hanging has been held as the cause of death, which they said was the case with the other 10 deaths in the family as well. The detailed reports will now be examined for further investigation.”
Devi’s body was found on the floor of the room adjacent to the one in which the other ten members of the family were found hanging.
“The cloth and wire around her neck was tied to the handle of an almirah. It appears she was on the bed and fell on the floor while dragging herself away from the almirah,” a senior officer said.
Viscera report awaited
The Crime Branch will now wait for the viscera report from the Forensic Science Laboratory to ascertain if the family members were poisoned.
The police had registered a murder case in the incident but the investigation, so far, has revealed that the members died while performing a ritual referred to as ‘badh tapasya’ (banyan tree puja) in the registers that were recovered from the house.
Writing in the register stated that the ritual was to be performed for the betterment of the family.