Daijiworld Media Network – Bhopal

Bhopal, Aug 4: In a heart-wrenching turn of events from Madhya Pradesh, a woman and her lover have been arrested for allegedly abetting the mass suicide of her husband’s family, including two teenage children and an elderly woman.

The tragedy unfolded between July 25 and 26 in Khurai, Sagar district, when Manohar Lodhi (45), his 70-year-old mother, and two children—Shivani (18) and a young son—consumed poison, unable to bear the emotional and societal trauma caused by an illicit affair.

Investigators revealed that Manohar’s wife Draupadi was in a long-standing extramarital relationship with his childhood friend, Surendra. The family had objected to the affair several times, but the couple remained defiant, even declaring they couldn't live without each other.

Shockingly, Draupadi’s daughter had reportedly witnessed her mother and Surendra in intimate situations on multiple occasions. When confronted, Draupadi allegedly threatened the family with filing false dowry cases against them, adding to their mental torment.

As the pressure mounted, the family took Sulphas tablets in a tragic decision to end their lives. While the elderly woman and the son died on the spot, Manohar and his daughter succumbed while being shifted to a district hospital in Sagar.

Dr Varsha Kesharwani of Khurai Civil Hospital confirmed that both father and daughter were in critical condition during transit. “The girl died before she could be shifted, and the father passed away in the ambulance,” she said.

Following the investigation, police arrested Draupadi and Surendra. "The illicit relationship was the root cause of the suicides. Both accused were presented in court and have been sent to jail," said Town Inspector Yogendra Singh.