Effect of ‘black magic’? Four of a Kodava family commit suicide

Four members of the Kambayenda family committed suicide by jumping into a pond at Kunjila village near Napoklu over a property dispute allegedly involving the sisters of Nithya Bheemaiah (40).
Besides Bheemaiah, the victims have been identified as Vincy (36), wife of Bheemaiah, daughter Mridula (14), student of Francis Xavier School in Bangalore, and son Raj Devaiah (aged three).
The family had celebrated the birthday of Mridula on Sunday after which Nithya had reportedly hatched a suicide pact, unable to withstand the harassment meted out by his parents and sisters.
According to a report, in a letter handed over to his nephew, Bheemaiah had alleged that his sisters Shobha, Tara, father Subramani and mother Ponnamma had been performing black magic against them following a property dispute.
Bheemaiah was upset because he had borrowed huge loans to develop his 10-acre property for which his sisters had allegedly staked a claim.
The suicides came to light on Monday when an estate worker found the main door bolted from outside with a copy of the letter placed on it, indicating that their bodies could be found within the estate.
The worker came across the bodies inside the pond. He alerted the neighbours who summoned the police.
According to a report, all the four had consumed sleeping tablets before jumping into the well.
Bheemaiah had left behind the copies of the suicide notes for the police and the media. The police have registered a case of unnatural death.