Two people are dead and two more are fighting for their lives after four members of the same family attempted suicide within hours of each other in Bihar's Nalanda district on Saturday. The incident, which unfolded in Vishunpur village under the Chandi police station area, has left the entire locality in shock. The dead include 65-year-old Dilendra Tanti and his 30-year-old daughter-in-law Gori Devi, while two other family members, Ranjeet Tanti and Purushottam Tanti, remain in critical condition and are being treated at a private clinic. The incident stands out as a grim example of how family disputes in rural Bihar can spiral out of control within hours.
The First Attempt, Around 11 in the Morning
According to Purushottam Tanti, he tried to hang himself around 11 am on Saturday after being pushed to the brink by an ongoing family dispute. Family members and neighbours who were nearby managed to cut him down from the noose in time and rushed him to a private clinic, where he is currently undergoing treatment.
Poison Claims Daughter-in-Law's Life, Son Critical
Barely had the family recovered from that scare when a second tragedy struck. Ranjeet Tanti and his wife Gori Devi consumed a poisonous pesticide typically used to protect stored wheat. As their condition worsened rapidly, they were rushed to hospital, but Gori Devi died during treatment. Ranjeet Tanti's condition continues to be described as critical.
Father-in-Law Hangs Himself on the Roof
Even as the son and daughter-in-law's condition was deteriorating, the family's eldest member, Dilendra Tanti, hanged himself from the roof of the house. The string of tragedies, all unfolding within the same house in a matter of hours, has left the entire village of Vishunpur numb.
A Four-Year-Old's Chilling Account
What Gori Devi's four-year-old son Prince told people about the day is bound to send a chill down anyone's spine. Prince said he had gone with his parents to Madhopur market, where the pesticide meant for wheat was bought. He said an attempt was also made to make him drink the poison, but he spat it out and threw it away, which saved his life. Ranjeet Tanti reportedly supported the family by selling momos. Police are now questioning family members to establish the exact chain of events.
What the Local Police Said First
Chandan Kumar Singh, the police inspector of Chandi circle, said the incident stemmed from a family dispute. According to him, the father-in-law hanged himself while the husband and wife consumed poison, and an attempt was made to also feed poison to their elder son, Prince, who threw the tablet away. The inspector said the wife died while the husband's treatment is ongoing, and that the deceased Dilendra Tanti's younger son had also attempted to hang himself but survived after treatment.
DSP's Investigation Points to an Alleged Affair
It is worth noting that this initial account described the tragedy purely as the result of domestic discord, but a deeper round of questioning by the Hilsa DSP uncovered a far more disturbing trigger behind it. Hilsa DSP Sunil Kumar Singh visited the spot and, after questioning villagers, revealed what is believed to be the real cause behind the tragedy. According to the DSP, the entire episode is linked to an alleged illicit relationship between the father-in-law and his daughter-in-law, which had led to a dispute between the son and his father. Angered by the confrontation, the son first consumed poison himself and then made his wife drink it as well. Seeing his son and daughter-in-law's critical condition, the father then hanged himself.
Investigation Continues
Police are now carrying out a detailed investigation into the case and are preparing further legal action. With two family members dead and two others critical, a pall of grief hangs over Vishunpur village.
