When his wife died from Black Fungus on 6 July, Gopala Hadimani, 46, was devastated and suffered from depression, police said.
The incident in Karnataka’s Belagavi district in which a retired solider Gopala Hadimani along with his four children were found dead had sent ripples of shock.
Before stirring poison in the water to be consumed by his children, Hadimani had celebrated the birthday of his wife who had passed away.
The children who died have been identified as Sowmya Hadimani (19), Shwetha Hadimani (16), Saakshi Hadimani (11) and Srujan Hadimani (8) at his residence in Boragal village in Hukkeri taluk on Saturday.
According to police, Jayashree, the wife of Gopala Hadimani who was infected with Covid-19, died due to Black Fungus on 6 July..
A note was recovered which read “no one is responsible for the death of his children and himself” and Rs 20,000 in cash was placed beside the note for the last rites.
Relatives and neighbours remember that the children were excited to resume schools from Monday.
The Karnataka government while taking a serious note of the deaths due to Covid depression has appealed to people not to lose hope and take extreme steps. Govind Karjol, Minister for Water Resources, who is also in-charge of Belagavi district has made the appeal.