Rajkot, September 21: Nine members of the Soni family from the Kevdavadi area of Rajkot attempted mass suicide by consuming poison on Saturday. The family members have been rushed to Civil Hospital for emergency treatment. Reports said that the Soni family - jewellers by profession - took the extreme step after traders from Mumbai withheld Rs 2.75 crore for 22-carat gold jewellery they had supplied.

Despite repeated follow-ups over the last 11 months, the payment was not made. It is alleged that the traders not only failed to clear the dues but also issued threats to the family. Police have launched an investigation into the case. They are examining the circumstances surrounding the family’s financial difficulties and recording statements from various individuals involved. Burari-Like Mass Suicide in Madhya Pradesh? Couple and Three Children Found Hanging in Alirajpur, Eerie Similarities With Delhi Case Emerge.

The family has named four individuals from Mumbai - Vijay Kailasji Rawal, Prashant, Mahendra, and others - as responsible for withholding the payment. The condition of the family members deteriorated quickly after consuming the poison, and they were immediately shifted to a government hospital for treatment.

In a similar case in 2023, seven members of a family, including three children, were found dead in their apartment in Surat in what police suspect to be a case of mass suicide. The family, reportedly facing severe financial distress, left a note explaining their drastic step. The bodies were discovered after neighbours detected a foul smell coming from the residence. When repeated knocks on the door went unanswered, the neighbours alerted the police. Surat Mass Suicide: Facing ‘Financial Difficulties’, Seven Members of Businessman’s Family, Including Three Children, Die by Suicide in Gujarat (Watch Video).

Upon arrival, authorities found the lifeless bodies of the family members, including a contractor, his wife, his parents, and the couple’s three children, a six-year-old son and two daughters aged 10 and 13.

Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Helpline Numbers:

Tele Manas (Ministry of Health) – 14416 or 1800 891 4416; NIMHANS – 080-46110007; Peak Mind – 080-456 87786; Vandrevala Foundation – 9999 666 555; Arpita Suicide Prevention Helpline – 080-23655557; iCALL – 022-25521111 and 9152987821; COOJ Mental Health Foundation (COOJ) – 8322252525.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 21, 2024 07:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).