Father Allegedly Strangles 9-Year-Old Son, Wife After Lacing Dinner With Sleeping Pills

A man in India allegedly killed his wife and their 9-year-old son by strangling them after lacing their dinner with sleeping pills.

The incident came to light after the accused, who lived in the eastern state of Odisha, reportedly informed his brother-in-law about the crime. He also allegedly attempted to take his own life with a knife but did not succeed, The New Indian Express reported.

The police said the accused – identified as Abanti Mangaraj – strangled his wife and child to death after they fell asleep following dinner. The deceased woman was identified as Swarnalata Mangaraj, but the child's name was not revealed.

When his brother-in-law received the message about the killings, he tried to contact the accused; however, Abanti did not respond to the calls. His brother-in-law then alerted the police, following which the accused was arrested from Ashok Nagar in the state's capital city of Bhubaneswar.

According to the police, Abanti had been married to his wife for 11 years. However, he was depressed due to his debt.

"Initial investigation suggests Abanti killed his wife and son over a financial issue. Scientific team had visited the spot to collect evidence and he has been detained," senior police officer Umashankar Dash said, according to The New Indian Express.

Dash said the accused admitted to killing his wife and son by strangling them.

"However, we are yet to ascertain the reason and circumstances that provoked him to commit the heinous crime," he further added.

An investigation is currently underway into the incident. It remains unclear what charges will be placed against the accused.

"The family was residing in Kalinga Nagar area since many years, but they had shifted to the current house 7-8 months back. We have heard that, the accused (Avanti) used to drink alcohol regularly and we suspect that he must have done the crime in inebriated condition," a neighbor told Odisha TV. Some sources close to the family also said the accused was not on good terms with his family members.

Last month, a man in India murdered his 8-year-old daughter before killing himself as he was depressed after being separated from his wife. The man lived in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. His relationship with his wife had allegedly deteriorated after he lost his job during the COVID-19 lockdown in the country.

If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours, every day.