Bodies of nine migrant workers, including 6 members of the same family, were found in an agricultural well at Gorrekunta village in Geesugonda mandal of Warangal (Rural) district on Thursday, 21 May. Police suspect the family could have killed themselves over financial distress brought about by the lockdown.
Maqsood Alam, his wife Nisha, who hail from West Bengal, their two-year-old daughter a relative Bushra Khatun, have been identified as the deceased. They were residing at a rented house at Kareemabad.
The other deceased include Alam’s three-year-old grandson, sons Sohail and Shabad, and Shakeel Ahmed from Tripura, and Sriram and Shyam from Bihar, reported The Indian Express. The bodies were found in the open well.
Police said the family had been working at a rice mill for close to 20 years and since lockdown began, they were living in a single room inside the mill. Due to lack of work at the mill, the family had taken up work at a gunny bag manufacturing unit at Gorrekunta village.
Geesugonda Inspector G Shiva Ramaiah told The New Indian Express that the family may have been under financial stress due to the lockdown and could have taken the extreme step. Police retrieved the body from the well and used sniffer dogs and deployed the forensic team to inspect the scene. The bodies were shifted to MGM hospital for post-mortem.
Deccan Chronicle reported the police as saying that the body did not show any signs of injuries.
The police have reportedly ruled out a suicide pact. “If it was a suicide pact, only the family of six would have committed suicide but there are three other bodies. We are investigating several angles,” ACP Shyam Sundar told The Indian Express.
Only when the mill owner, S Bhaskar, visited the its premises on Thursday afternoon and found the family and the three others missing did the deaths come to light. Bhaskar reportedly told police that although the factory was closed, the family and the three other deceased were under no distress. They allegedly had enough dry rations and money.
The police have registered a case under section 174 of CrPc for suspicious death and are still investigating the case.
A week ago on Saturday, a truck carrying more than 60 migrant workers from Hyderabad fell off the National Highway 44 in Nirmal district, Telangana. The vehicle hit the railing of the road and fell sideways. In the incident, 19 people suffered injuries like fractured bones, while others suffered mild injuries, police said. The vehicle was going to Bihar.
If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers:
Telangana
Telangana government suicide prevention toll free no - 104
Roshni- 040-66202000, 6620200SEVA- 09441778290, 040 - 27504682 (between 9 AM and 7 PM)
Andhra Pradesh
Life Suicide Prevention Helpline No. 78930-78930
Roshni Helpline 1: 9166202000 Helpline 2: 9127848584
Tamil Nadu
State health department suicide helpline number - 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in TN
Karnataka
Sahai: 24-hour helpline numbers: 080- 65000111, 080-65000222
Kerala
Maithri helpline - 0484-2540530
Chaithram helpline: 0484-2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.
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