According to sources, Saravanan, a goldsmith and a jewel shop owner, was residing with his wife, children, mother and his siblings at a house on RK Karuppathevar Street in Usilampatti.

Since Saravanan and his family members did not come out even after 9 am on Tuesday, other family members and neighbours, who grew suspicious, looked into his room and were shocked to find all the five members, including three children, lying dead.

On information, a team of the Usilampatti town police led by the DSP inspected the house and held inquiries with neighbours and relatives of the deceased.

Preliminary inquiries revealed that Saravanan had borrowed money from his mother. Saravanan’s mother had sought Rs 30 lakh back, but he could not repay it. Angered at the delay, she accused him of supporting only his wife’s paternal side and was not intended to repay the borrowed amount. Saravanan depressed by the words of his mother, decided to take the extreme step along with wife and children. The couple fed insecticide-laced drink to their children and consumed it. A suicide note recovered from the house said his mother pestered for money and his father-in-law and mother-in-law were not the reason for their deaths.

The deceased have been identified as Saravanan (35), goldsmith and jeweller, his wife Viji alias Sreenithi (30), their daughters Mahalakshmi (10) and Abirami (5) and son Amuthan (5).

Usilampatti Revenue Divisional Officer KV Rajkumar said a detailed report has been sought from the Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajan.