Mysore/Mysuru:  A day after four members of a family were found dead in their house at Yaraganahalli on Dr. Rajkumar Road in the city, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the grieving family to express his sorrow over the tragedy. Mysuru District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, Narasimharaja MLA Tanveer Sait and senior officials accompanied him.

Kumaraswamy, 45, his wife Manjula, 39, and their daughters Archana and Swathi, were found dead in their home on Wednesday. Police suspect an LPG cylinder leak caused asphyxiation, exacerbated by the house’s poor ventilation.

Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah described the incident as unfortunate and announced a compensation of Rs. 3 lakh for each deceased family member, totalling Rs. 12 lakh for the next of kin — Kumaraswamy’s parents, Thimmaiah and Sharadamma and Manjula’s parents, Rathnamma and Bhadrappa.

The Chief Minister mentioned that the family had recently returned from a trip to Kadur and had been living in their own house in Yaraganahalli for the last 20 years. “It is unfortunate. When the incident occurred, the couple was sleeping in the room and their daughters were in the hall. It was a small house. Their daughters Archana and Swathi were studying. Kumaraswamy had a laundry shop. I have consoled their parents and relatives,” he said.

The room where the bodies were found was small, and the window was closed, which likely aggravated the effects of the gas leak. The Police stated that the Forensics Science Laboratory team confirmed the deaths were due to LPG leakage from one of the three cylinders. The house was small (10×20 ft), with inadequate ventilation and two windows closed. The post-mortem report is awaited.

Investigate incident: Former Mayor Sandesh Swamy

Visiting the LPG leak tragedy spot on Dr. Rajkumar Road in Yaraganahalli yesterday and gathering information from the neighbours, former Mayor Sandesh Swamy stated that the family had travelled to Chikkamagaluru for a wedding a week ago and returned to Mysuru only on Sunday.

However, the tragedy occurring the very next day has raised several suspicions. There is public speculation about whether this was an accident, a family-perpetrated suicide, or a premeditated murder.

People are demanding a thorough investigation in the Chief Minister’s home district to uncover the truth. It is said that the disaster was caused by a cooking gas leak, he said.

“It is believed that gas leaked from the cylinder attached to the iron used by the deceased, causing them to suffocate. Any gas smell would have been strong enough to wake those sleeping. It is tragic that none of the four, who were sleeping, coughed strongly, attempted to escape and all died in their sleep. In this area with tightly packed houses, it is suspicious that neighbours did not smell the gas leak,” he said.

“In many districts, entire families from backward and poor communities are dying, and the murders of young girls are causing concern. People are urging the Government to take such incidents seriously and create an environment where they can live peacefully,” he said.