Man drinks poison in Shahdol:Give it to wife and daughter also, woman critical, admitted in ICU

Distressed by mounting debt linked to online gaming losses in Shahdol, a mobile phone trader allegedly poisoned his wife and daughter before consuming the substance himself. During treatment, his teenage daughter died first, followed by the businessman. His wife remains critical in the Intensive Care Unit of the local Medical College. The incident occurred in Purani Basti under the jurisdiction of Kotwali Police Station. Shankar Lal Gupta (40), a resident of the area, was reportedly addicted to the online game “BDG”. Police said he had lost approximately ₹4 lakh through the platform and had also borrowed money from others to continue playing. According to preliminary findings, the growing financial burden and economic hardship had left him under prolonged stress. Once the owner of a mobile phone shop, Shankar Lal had recently been reduced to operating a small roadside stall to sustain his family. On the night of 24 February, Shankar Lal allegedly purchased a soft drink from the market and mixed poison into it. He then gave it to his wife Rajkumari and his 16-year-old daughter Swati, before consuming it himself. His 15-year-old son was not at home at the time, which is believed to have saved his life. Neighbours rushed to the house after hearing screams late at night and found all three in a critical condition. With the help of an ambulance, they were taken to hospital. Swati died during treatment on the morning of 25 February. Shankar Lal succumbed later the same day at around 6 pm. Police await post-mortem findings Sub-Inspector Upendra Tripathi of Kotwali Police Station said initial investigations indicate financial distress as the apparent motive behind the suspected suicide attempt and deaths. Police have registered a case of unnatural death and are awaiting the post-mortem and forensic reports to establish the exact cause of death.