A couple poisoned themselves and their children in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district over high debt and repeated harassment by a finance company. During treatment, the woman and her son died, while her husband and two other children were undergoing treatment.

According to the police, all five members of the family were found unconscious on the Gagalhedi-Deoband road in Saharanpur and were rushed to a hospital by another passerby in his car on Monday, January 13.

Commenting on the incident, the family relatives of the family said that Vikas (45), and Rajni (35) had taken a loan of four to five lakhs from a small finance company named Fusion. After being unable to pay the EMIs on time, the company officials harassed them and often visited their home, threatening them, following which they took extreme step.

Initially, the family was taken to a government hospital, from where the doctors referred them to another medical facility for better treatment. However, Rajni and her one-and-a-half-year-old son died during treatment, while Vikas and the couple’s two other children were undergoing treatment.

Rajni’s brother Gurmeet said, “When we arrived at the location, Vikas told me that he had a lot of debt. The company people were bothering them and threatening them. There was another person from the village from whom they had borrowed 10,000-15,000 rupees at 12 per cent interest. They were being harassed by those people.”

After the incident, a probe was launched by the Saharanpur Police.

Speaking on the incident, Saharanpur’s SP City Vyom Bindal said, “Five members of the same family, including the husband, wife, and their three children, attempted suicide by consuming poison. All five of them were receiving treatment. Unfortunately, their one-and-a-half-year-old son died. The husband’s wife, Rajni, also passed away during treatment.”

“An investigation will be conducted into all these facts. Our priority is to ensure that those who are hospitalised for treatment receive the best possible care. As for the other points raised by the authorities, an investigation will be carried out on all those matters as well,” he added.

(With inputs from Rahul in Saharanpur)