Mother poisons three children at Srirangapatna; two die

Nagamangala/Srirangapatna: A man allegedly murdered his wife and two children by  feeding poison to them at Nagamangala on Thursday.

In another case, a woman, fed up with frequent family feuds, poisoned her three children by giving them poison-laced ice cream and later consumed the same in a bid to end her life.

Nagamangala case: In the first case, 35-year-old Narasimha, a resident of Pete Hola Road in Nagamangala town, poisoned and killed his wife Keerthana (23), son Jayasimha (4) and 18-month-old daughter Rushika.

Narasimha had married Keerthana of Kadambahalli village in Mandya taluk about five years ago.

Narasimha, who was running a salon in the town, had taken loans of about Rs. 8 lakh to bet in the ongoing IPL cricket tournament and was allegedly having extra-marital affair with a woman. He used to pester Keerthana to bring money from her parents for his vices, it is said.

Keerthana’s father Shivananju told media persons “frequent fights and quarrels used to take place between the couple when Narasimha was questioned on his involvement in cricket betting and affair.”

Yesterday morning, Narasimha was working in the salon along with his father Swamy. At about 11 am, Narasimha told his father that he was going to the house and will return after breakfast.

It is said that, upon reaching the house, a fight broke out between Keerthana and Narasimha again over his illicit relationship during which he tied her hands and legs and forced her to drink poison and killed her.

He later fed poison to his children, before making a bid to end his life.

As Narasimha did not return to the salon even late in the afternoon, his father Swamy went home to check on him, only to see his daughter-in-law Keerthana and grand-children dead and Narasimha writhing in pain. Swamy, with the help of neighbours admitted Narasimha to a hospital.

Nagamangala Town Police have registered a case.

Srirangapatna case: In the second case, a woman, identified as Pooja, a resident of Bettahalli village in the taluk, fed poison- laced ice cream to her three children including twins and later consumed the same in a bid to end her life.

On Wednesday evening, Pooja, bought ice cream from a vendor, mixed insecticide meant to kill cockroaches and made her three children eat it. She then consumed the same ice cream.

While her 18-month-old twins Trishul and Trisha died, Pooja and her three-year-old daughter Brunda fell sick and were writhing in pain, it is learnt. Villagers then admitted Pooja and Brunda to Mandya District Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.

Soon, rumours about the children eating ice cream and breathing their last spread like a wildfire across the village.

Some of the other villagers had also eaten the ice cream bought from the same vendor, but they did not show any heath issues, following which Police questioned Pooja.

She revealed that she had laced insecticide to the ice cream and gave it to her children before consuming the same.

Arakere Police, who have registered a case, are investigating.