Scientist dies, wife struggling in family's suicide pact

Mangalore, Jun 13 (UNI) A Bangalore-based scientist died while his wife was battling for life after the family consumed poison in a suicide pact in a city hotel last night.

Police said the scientist, identified as Vijaykumar Singh (46), originally from Rajasthan, living in HRC Layout in Bangalore, was suspected to have come to the city along with his wife, a daughter and a son a few days ago and stayed in the hotel.

According to police the family had visited some pilgrimage centres in and around Mangalore.

The hotel staff who found the family members screaming in their room immediately admitted them to a hospital.

However, Dr Singh died on the way. The condition of his wife Savitha(43) was stated to be serious. Their children Shruthi (16) and son Shivamshu (14) were safe, as they had consumed very little poison, which was a pesticide.

Police said the reason for the suicide was not yet known.

Shivamshu told the police that while his parents and his sister consumed the poison in the room last night, he only pretended to have consumed it. He was not sure whether his parents and sister had indeed consumed the poision.

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