Mass suicide bid of family: One dies at VIMSAR

JHARSUGUDA: A day after five members of a family attempted suicide in their home at Lahandabud, one succumbed in the hospital on Wednesday. Unable to bear the shock of her son Deepak’s death, Puspabati Biswal along with her daughters Lili, Pinki and Bandita and another son Srikant had tried to kill themselves by consuming phenyl. All of them were admitted to the district headquarters hospital and later, Lily and Srikant were shifted to the ICU of VIMSAR, Burla after their condition deteriorated. However, Srikant succumbed. 

Sources said Puspabati, Pinki and Bandita have also been admitted to VIMSAR and the condition is stated to be critical. Meanwhile, the death of Puspabati’s two sons has sent shock waves in the area. Jharsuguda Collector Saroj Kumar Samal talked to his Sambalpur counterpart on the day and enquired about the family members at VIMSAR. He said the district administration will bear the treatment cost of the family.

On the other hand, bodies of Deepak and Srikant are yet to be cremated as their friends and relatives are reluctant to perform the last rites in absence of family members.After sustaining grievous injuries in a bike accident in 2018, Deepak (22) had gone into coma. His family members spent around `30 lakh on his treatment. He was later brought home when his condition improved.

However, on Monday, Deepak’s became serious all of a sudden and died.Unable to bear the trauma, his family members tried to commit suicide in the night. Deepak’s father Golak Bihari Biswal, a retired employee of MCL and resident of Aska in Ganjam district, had died in 2016.