Alirajpur (Madhya Pradesh): In the quiet village of Raudi in Alirajpur district, a harrowing tragedy has left the community in shock and sorrow. A day after the mass suicide incident, Om Prakash Rawat, the sarpanch's husband, described the deceased Rakesh as a cheerful, sociable man with no known enmity. However, beneath this cheerful exterior, Rakesh grappled with overwhelming financial strain.
Notably, Rakesh along with his wife Lalita, daughter Lakshmi, and sons Prakash and Akshay were found hanging by the neck at their place sending shockwaves through the village. Upon receiving the information, the police promptly arrived at the scene to commence their investigation.
A month prior, his father, Jagar Singh, was attacked, necessitating costly medical treatment. To cover these expenses, Rakesh borrowed approximately Rs 60 to 70 thousand and mortgaged two of his five acres of land. Despite receiving some government aid, Rakesh's debt continued to mount, leaving him increasingly despondent. To make ends meet, he worked as a mechanic in Gujarat when he wasn't farming.
Alirajpur collector Abhay Arvind Bedekar confirmed the family's financial hardships and noted the ongoing investigation into the extent of their debt. The situation reached a tragic climax when the lifeless bodies of Rakesh and his family were discovered, casting a somber shadow over the village.
Villagers expressed disbelief, insisting that the family could not have committed suicide, despite initial police findings suggesting otherwise.
No evidence of foul play
SP Rajesh Vyas reported no signs of struggle at the crime scene, with forensic experts ruling the deaths as suicides. An SIT led by SDOP Ashwin Kumar has been formed to conduct a thorough investigation.
Post-mortem findings
CMHO Prakash Dhoke stated that the post-mortem, conducted by a panel of five doctors, confirmed death by hanging with no additional injuries. The findings strongly suggest a case of suicide rather than murder, though the exact sequence of events remains unclear. Whether all five family members committed suicide together, or Rakesh first hanged his wife and children before taking his own life, is yet to be determined.
The police plan to recreate the crime scene to gain further clarity on the tragic incident.
FSL team called from Indore
Considering the gravity of the situation, SP Rajesh Vyas summoned a forensic team (FSL) from Indore. Arriving at 4:30 pm, the team meticulously examined the crime scene, joined by cyber experts to scrutinise call records.
