123 Asansol: A 64-year-old woman and her three pet dogs were found dead, and her son was rescued in an unconscious state in what police suspect to be a suicide pact at Rashdanga Sumathi Pally in Asansol on Monday.
The deceased was identified as Yuthika Das, a widow. Her only son, Arabindo Das alias Pushan, was found lying unconscious beside her on the same bed. Both were suspected to have consumed poison. The family's three pet dogs were also found dead in the room, which was locked from the inside.
According to police, neighbours grew suspicious after not seeing the mother and son for a long time and alerted the authorities. A police team rushed to the spot, and with help from locals, broke open the door.
Both Yuthika and her son were rushed to Asansol District Hospital, where doctors declared Yuthika dead. Arabindo was admitted and later discharged after treatment. He is now in police custody for questioning.
Preliminary investigations suggest the duo may have attempted suicide due to severe financial distress. "We suspect they were under a heavy debt burden. The mother and son appear to have consumed poison. We are investigating all possible angles," said a senior officer of Asansol South PS.
Yuthika's body has been sent for post-mortem. Police have registered an Unnatural Death (UD) case and are continuing their investigation to confirm the exact sequence of events and motives behind the suspected suicide pact.