Guntur: Three members of same family commit suicide

Guntur: Three members of a family committed suicide allegedly by consuming poison at Basivireddypalem under Bapatla mandal of Guntur district on Monday as they felt humiliated after the police suspected them of stealing electrical pump motor sets. According to police, a farmer at Basivireddypalem lodged a complaint stating his agriculture motor was stolen. On suspicion, the police summoned Marruprolu Veera Swamy Reddy (37) to the police station and questioned him. They questioned him and his relative Anki Reddy several times in the police station. They were questioned again on Sunday also.

His family members felt that they were humiliated and felt that it was an insult for them. Veera Swamy Reddy's wife Venkata Ramana (35) and daughter Poleramma (8) allegedly consumed pesticide and committed suicide.

On learning about the extreme step taken by them, Veera Swamy Reddy rushed to the spot and he also consumed pesticide. While Venkata Ramana and Poleramma died on the spot, Veera Swamy Reddy died while being shifted to the hospital. Their bodies have been shifted to the GGH in Bapatla for conducting the post-mortem.

In a suicide note, Veera Swamy Reddy stated that he did not commit any mistake. The police forced him to accept the crime and caused mental torture. He said he had begged the police to do justice to his family. Bapatla DSP A Srinivaa Rao and Circle Inspector Srinivasa Reddy rushed to the spot and inquired about the incident. The police registered a case and took up investigation.

In a statement, Bapatla DSP A Srinivasa Rao denied police having any link with the deaths of Veera Swamy and his family members. He said that at Basivireddypalem village, 15 agriculture motors were stolen on May 10. They received complaint on May 16. He said that the police questioned Veera Swamy Reddy on May 21 and recovered three motors from his possession.

He said that the locals informed that Veera Swamy Reddy and his family members committed suicide in their house.