India: Tortured by daughter-in-law, five members of a family end life in a ‘suicide pact’

Article here. Excerpt:

'In a shocking incident, five persons of a family of a retired Army doctor were found dead at a relative’s flat in Kokar area on Sunday afternoon. The condition of the Army doctor, who also stabbed himself several times, was highly critical and he was admitted to Medica. The police said that chances of his survival were less.

The police said that, prima facie, it seemed to be a case of suicide pact between the family members, who were feeling tortured and threatened by the daughter-in-law of the former Army doctor. His son and his wife were having troubled marriage and there was dispute over custody of their seven-year-old girl, one of the five victims.

The retired Army doctor, identified as Dr Sukanto Sarkar, in his late 60s, was admitted to Medica Hospital.

The police said that family was staying in a flat on 10th floor of Rivisera Apartment in Kokar area, which is owned by their relative, Dr S Chaudhary, a popular doctor in the city. They had come from Noida to Ranchi a couple of days ago.

The incident came to light when Dr Chaudhary called up the family members around noon for a meeting, but nobody picked up the call. He reached the flat in the afternoon and opened the door using a duplicate key. Finding five bodies and Dr Sukanto still breathing, he informed the police.'