Father poisons children, attempts suicide; three dead and one critical

A shocking case of suspected mass poisoning has emerged from Bihar’s Bhojpur district, where a man allegedly poisoned his four minor children, leading to the deaths of three. The accused, identified as Arvind Kumar, and his youngest son are currently undergoing treatment, police said on Wednesday.

Arvind, an electronics goods dealer, reportedly laced food with a poisonous substance and offered it to his children late Tuesday night at their home in Balwania village under the Bihiyan police station limits. The gruesome incident came to light on Wednesday when relatives, noticing an unusual silence, broke open the locked door to find Arvind and his children unconscious on the bed.

All five were immediately rushed to Sadar Hospital in Ara. However, doctors declared three of the children—Nandini Kumari (12), Dolly (5), and Toni Kumar (6)—dead on arrival. Arvind and his youngest son, Adarsh Kumar (5), are currently receiving medical treatment. Doctors later confirmed that the victims had consumed pesticides, and viscera samples have been preserved for forensic examination.

The motive behind this tragic act remains unclear. According to police, Arvind’s wife had died last year after falling from the top floor of their house. Some relatives suspect he was battling severe depression following her death. “He may have attempted to end his life along with his children due to emotional distress,” said Manoj Kumar, a close family member.

At the time of the incident, other family members were attending a wedding ceremony, leaving Arvind and the children alone in the house. Investigators believe he deliberately laced their food with poison before consuming it himself. “The case is under investigation, and further inquiries are being made,” a police officer at Bihiyan police station stated.