Samastipur / PATNA
In a most horrifying incident, bodies of five members of a family were found hanging in their house at Mau village under Vidyapatinagar police station area in Samastipur district on Sunday morning.
The deceased were identified as Manoj Jha (42), his wife Sundermani Devi (38), his mother Sita Devi (65) and both his sons Satyam (10) and Shivam (7).
Soon after getting information, a police team from Vidyapatinagar police station rushed to the village and inquired from the co-villagers about the incident. Later, a team of forensic science laboratory (FSL) was also called to the village to collect necessary exhibits from the spot.
Villagers told the police that the family was in debt. Manoj, who used to run a small tobacco shop for livelihood, had taken loan from several people and he was unable to return the loan amount, which had increased to over Rs3 lakh. Manoj’s wife Sundermani too had taken loan from a group of women.
“The matter about their death was revealed when some of the moneylenders reached Manoj’s house for repayment. As no response came from inside the house after repeated knocking on the door, the visiting women informed the neighbours who, in turn, peeked into the house from broken part of the walls and windows to find all the five family members hanging,” a police officer, told media.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Dinesh Kumar Pandey said a few people allegedly involved in money lending have been detained for interrogation. “Police are looking at the case from both the angle of suicide as well as murder,” the DSP said.
Meanwhile, education minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, who hails from the same district, said the police would probe the incident from all angles. “A thorough probe will be done,” he said.,