Daijiworld Media Network - Surat

Surat, Feb 27: Days after three members of a family died by suicide in Gujarat’s Surat city, police have arrested the main accused, identified as Vaibhav Rungta, in Delhi for allegedly abetting the deaths through financial fraud and harassment.

Balmukund Khetan, a native of Bihar, his wife Priyanka and their elder daughter Bhavya died at their residence in Surat’s Vesu area on Tuesday after allegedly consuming aluminium phosphide, a highly toxic substance. The couple’s younger daughter, seven-year-old Prithvi, survived and is undergoing treatment, police said.

According to investigators, a three-page suicide note recovered from the house accused Rungta of massive credit card fraud and sustained mental harassment. The note alleged that Rungta misused Khetan’s credit cards and subjected him to verbal abuse and threats when he demanded repayment. Khetan worked as a stock trader from home.

Police said the youngest daughter told them she was “spoon-fed” a substance by her parents, leading investigators to suspect that the children were administered poison before the couple consumed it themselves.

On the day of the incident, Priyanka reportedly informed her father that the family had consumed poison. An ambulance rushed them to hospital, but Balmukund was declared dead at the scene, while Priyanka and Bhavya succumbed during treatment.

Following technical surveillance, the Vesu police tracked down Rungta in Delhi and arrested him. However, a local Delhi court refused transit remand and directed him to appear before a Surat court.

Police are probing whether other moneylenders or accomplices were involved in the alleged harassment. The victim’s bank accounts and credit card transactions are being audited as part of the investigation.