Father, two children die in ‘suicide pact’

A father and his two children, a son and a daughter (aged below 10), allegedly died by suicide at the outskirts of Boochepalle village of Gorantla mandal in Sri Sathya Sai district on Wednesday night.

According to the Gorantla police, the man identified as Siva Sankar (36), a Telugu Desam Party activist, ran a tea stall in front of the local TDP office in Gorantla. A few days ago, he brought his son, studying at a welfare hostel in neighbouring Palasamudram mandal, to Boochepalle for the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. However, on Wednesday evening, Siva Sankar along with his daughter left on the pretext of dropping his son at the hostel.

As the father and daughter did not return until late at night, the mother grew suspicious and sought help from the neighbours. The father along with his children was found dead close to a thicket by the neighbours. Family disputes were suspected behind the tragedy.

The police shifted the bodies to the area hospital at Gorantla for autopsy. The police registered a case and took up investigation.

(Those with suicidal thoughts can Dial 100.)