Surat: Three family members, including 7-year-old son, found dead in Limbayat mass suicide

Surat : Three members of a family, including a seven-year-old boy, were found dead in their home in Rustompark area of Limbayat on Friday morning in an apparent case of mass-suicide. The deceased have been identified as Somesh Bhishapati (38), his wife Nirmala Somesh (32), and their son Rishi Somesh (7).

Police officials recovered the bodies after they were alerted by neighbours and the brother of the deceased who couldn’t reach the family. The house was locked from the inside, prompting officers to break in.  A mobile phone was found at the scene, and upon investigation, it was discovered that Somesh Bhikshapati had recorded a video message in a South Indian language before taking his own life.

Three members of a family, including a seven-year-old boy, were found dead in their home in Rustompark area of Limbayat, #Surat on Friday morning in an apparent case of mass-suicide#Gujarat #gujaratpolice @GujaratPolice @CP_SuratCity pic.twitter.com/xeWcfVRHQv

— The Blunt Times (TBT) (@BluntTbt) March 8, 2024

The exact contents of the video message remain unclear as police have called in an interpreter to translate it.  A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has also arrived at the scene to gather evidence.

According to initial investigations, Somesh poisoned his wife and son before hanging himself from the ceiling fan.

Senior police officers rushed to Limbayat to oversee the investigation. “The deceased family hailed from South India and had been residing in Limbayat with their child,” informed a senior police officer. “We have retrieved the video message and are currently working on understanding its contents. The investigation is ongoing,” he added.