Palanpur: A debt-ridden farm labourer on Friday attempted suicide after allegedly killing his wife and three children with an axe in Gujarat's Banaskantha district, police said.
The incident happened in Kuda village in Lakhani taluka of the district and an official identified the farmer as Karsanji Patel (55).
"Patel used an axe to kill his wife Anandiben (50), sons Ukaji (22) and Suresh (13) and daughter Bhavna (22). He then consumed poison and is currently being treated at a hospital in Ahmedabad," said Deputy Superintendent of Police Rishikesh Upadhyay.
"Our primary probe has revealed that Patel was facing acute cash crunch. Police teams have been formed to probe the incident," he said.
Local Congress MLA Shivabhai Bhuriya said Patel might have been under pressure from money-lenders, and asked police to probe this angle.
Villagers said Patel and his family settled in Kuda a year ago after selling land in an adjoining village.
"He had taken Rs 21 lakh from money-lenders and was being harassed by them," claimed a villager.
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