Raigad woman and two daughters die after she poisons her four children

A 29-year-old woman and her two minor daughters died, while two of her other children remain in critical condition, after she allegedly fed them a poison-laced cold drink and consumed it herself at Kharavali tribal hamlet in Mangaon taluka, Raigad.

The incident, which came to light on Saturday around 3 p.m., reportedly stemmed from severe domestic disputes over her husband's habitual drinking.

The deceased have been identified as Asha Dharma Jadhav, 29, and her daughters, six-year-old Nandini and seven-year-old Durva. They were declared brought dead upon arrival at the Mangaon sub-district hospital.

Asha's eight-year-old son, Ravi, and four-year-old daughter, Rajshree, survived the poisoning. They are currently undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Alibaug Civil Hospital, where they have been stabilized and remain under observation.

Following the incident, the Mangaon police registered a case of suicide abetment against Asha's husband, Dharma Jadhav, based on a complaint filed by her elder brother, Sandeep Mukane. Additionally, an FIR of murder and attempt to murder has been registered against the deceased Asha Jadhav.

According to Raigad Superintendent of Police (SP) Dalal, preliminary investigations revealed that Asha had a severe argument with Dharma on Friday night when he returned home in an intoxicated state. Neighbors reported frequent domestic quarrels between the couple due to Dharma's habitual alcohol consumption and physical abuse since their marriage in 2016.

Asha's brother, Mukane, told police that she was under immense mental stress. He recalled that during a trip to Ganpatipule on May 20, Asha had expressed her despair, stating she would end her life if her husband did not stop his physical and mental harassment.

The tragedy was discovered when Asha’s sister-in-law visited the home on Saturday afternoon and found the mother and four children lying motionless on the floor. Neighbors rushed the family to the hospital.

Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Shankar Kale stated that Ravi, the surviving son, told police his mother had mixed a fish-catching tablet into their cold drinks. Ravi recognized the tablet because he had previously accompanied his mother for fishing, where she used the substance to stun fish.

A forensic team has collected samples of vomit, food, water, and the leftover cold drink from the house to confirm the presence of the poison.