Man jumps into canal after pushing wife, two kids; woman, daughter rescued

PATIALA Upset over theft allegations by his employer, a domestic help allegedly pushed his wife, daughter and son into Bhakra canal before taking the plunge himself on Wednesday afternoon. Divers, however, managed to rescue woman and her daughter, while both the male members drowned.

Ram Chander, 33, and his son Yuvraj, 7, died, while Ram’s wife Basanti, 30, and daughter Sushmita, 10, are undergoing treatment at Rajindra Hospital, here.

The family worked as domestic help at the house of a retired excise and taxation officer Bhagwan Singh in Model Town. On the statement of Basanti, police have booked Bhagwan, 64, and his wife Malkeet Kaur, 55, under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the IPC Act.

Investigation officer (IO) Gurdeep Singh said Bhagwan had accused Ram and his wife of stealing gold ornaments worth ₹4lakh from their house. “Bhagwan even lodged a police complaint and the couple was summoned to police station on Tuesday for questioning,” the IO said.

Basanti told the police that her husband was under stress over the theft allegations. “We asked Bhagwan and his wife to stop levelling false allegations and even offered them money and our belongings,” she said.

She told the police that on Wednesday afternoon, Ram asked them to accompany him for a walk near. “Ram pushed me and the children into the canal and then jumped himself,” she said. The divers stationed near the canal rescued Basanti and Sushmita. They also fished out Yuvraj’s body, but Ram’s body was yet to be recovered.