A tragic incident in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, has resulted in the death of three children after they were reportedly poisoned by their parents, who are now in critical condition at a community health center in Pakhanjur.
The incident reportedly took place late at night in PV-70 village, located within the Pankhajur settlement under the jurisdiction of the Partapur police station.
A senior police official told IANS that authorities were alerted early Saturday morning about a family’s suicide attempt. When officials arrived, the three children had already passed away, and the parents were rushed to hospital.
“Both parents remain unconscious, making it difficult for police to determine the exact cause of the incident. Once they regain consciousness, investigators hope to gather more details,” said Ravi Kujur, Sub-Divisional Police Officer.
He added that the family is of Bangladeshi migrants whose ancestors settled in India during the 1970s.
The children have been identified as 11-year-old Varsha Bairagi, 7-year-old Deepti Bairagi, and 5-year-old Devraj Bairagi. Their parents—Devendra Bairagi, 36, and Namita Bairagi, 32—are currently receiving treatment.
Police have dismissed reports suggesting the poison was consumed at a lodge. “The incident occurred inside the family’s home in PV-70 village. The couple attempted suicide along with their children by ingesting poison. All three children died, and the parents are still hospitalized at the Pakhanjur Community Health Centre,” clarified investigating officer Yashwant Shyam.
The family’s residence is part of one of 133 settlements called Paralkot Villages (PV)—established for displaced East Pakistani refugees—located in regions like Kapsi, Pakhanjur, and Bande.
These settlements, numbered from PV-1 to PV-133, were created for those displaced from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), many of whom faced significant hardships, including loss of large portions of agricultural land and survival on minimal holdings.
In 1958, the Indian government set up the Dandakaranya Development Authority to assist such refugee communities.