NEW DELHI: Four members of a family, including two children, have been found dead in a water tank in Rajasthan’s Barmer district, in what police believe to be a case of suicide. The bodies of Shivlal Meghwal (35), his wife Kavita (32) and their sons, aged 8 and 6, were found in a water tank outside their home in Undu village on Tuesday evening. According to police, Shivlal is believed to have jumped into the tank along with his family after allegedly locking the house. The incident came to light when Shivlal’s younger brother, unable to reach him on the phone, asked a neighbour to check on the family. Police were then alerted. “We found all four bodies in the tank outside their home,” said Manaram Garg, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sheo. “The in-laws were informed, and the bodies were recovered on Wednesday morning in their presence, as they could not reach the village on Tuesday night.” The bodies were sent to the local hospital in Bhiyad for post-mortem examinations. Relatives of Kavita have alleged that the family had been facing domestic harassment. Gopilal, Kavita’s uncle, told reporters that Shivlal had been under pressure from his mother and brother, who reportedly prevented him from building a separate house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). “He had written a suicide note on June 29 but did not act on it immediately,” Gopilal claimed. “But on Tuesday, with his mother away visiting his brother and his father attending a religious event, Shivlal and Kavita switched off their phones and allegedly took the extreme step.” Police said they are investigating allegations of harassment and abetment of suicide under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. The contents of the purported suicide note are also being examined as part of the ongoing investigation.
