Mystery deepens in poisoning case

Lucknow: The death of three family members in the Banthra area has taken a complex turn, with investigators probing multiple angles, including a Rs 6 lakh financial distress that may have led to a collective suicide or something more sinister.The incident took place in Neeva village under the Banthra police station limits, where a family of three allegedly consumed poison inside their home. While Tarawati (52) and her elder son Sandeep (30) died during treatment on Friday, the head of the family, Roop Narayan Chaurasia (55), remains in critical condition at a private hospital on Kanpur Road. According to police, Roop Narayan, who ran a tea and snacks kiosk in the Kati Bagiya area, returned home on Thursday evening along with his wife and elder son. His younger son, Kuldeep (25), was already at home and slept in the verandah, while the three retired to a room inside. At around 4 am on Friday, Kuldeep woke up to find the room door open and his father vomiting profusely. Upon entering, he found his mother and brother lying unconscious. He immediately alerted relatives, following which both victims were declared dead, with froth around their mouths indicating poisoning. A key line of inquiry revolves around the alleged financial distress faced by the family. Villagers claimed that repeated recovery notices had been served, and a torn five-page notice was found pasted outside the house. There are also claims that an individual posing as a representative of a digital payment company visited the family days before the incident regarding loan repayment.