Punjab Newsline | Kapurthala
A six-year-old girl died and three other family members remain in critical condition after a woman allegedly consumed pesticide along with her three children at their home in Punjab's Kapurthala district.
The incident came to light when the woman's husband, Lavkush Kumar, returned home around 11 p.m. after finishing work in the fields. He found his wife, Santosh Devi, semi-conscious and vomiting, with a bottle of pesticide lying nearby. Inside the house, their three children were also found unconscious.
Panic-stricken, Lavkush immediately alerted neighbours and called the 108 ambulance service. Santosh Devi and the three children were rushed to the Civil Hospital in Kapurthala, where doctors began emergency treatment.
Despite the medical team's efforts, six-year-old Khushi was declared dead during treatment. Santosh Devi, her eight-year-old daughter Amrita, and her two-year-old son were later referred to Amritsar Medical College as their condition remained critical. Hospital sources said all three continue to be in a serious condition.
The family, originally from Katihar district in Bihar, has been living in Mallu Qadarabad village in Kapurthala for the past 15 years.
Lavkush Kumar told police that he was unaware of any major family dispute. He said his wife had spoken to her mother over the phone a day earlier, but he did not know whether any argument had taken place during the conversation. Apart from that, he said there had been no known issues within the family.
Following the incident, a team from Sadar Police Station reached the spot and launched an investigation. SHO Ranjit Singh said police are examining all possible angles to determine the circumstances that led to the suspected poisoning. No official conclusion regarding the motive has been announced so far.
