11 of Pak Hindu migrant family found dead

Jodhpur, August 9

Eleven members of a family of Pakistan Hindu migrants were found dead at a farm in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district on Sunday morning.

A family member, however, was found alive outside the hut they lived at Lodta village of the Dechu area, over 100 km away from Jodhpur city, an officer said. “But he claimed to have no idea about the incident, which believed to have happened in the night,” said SP (Rural) Rahul Barhat.

“We are yet to ascertain the cause and means of death. They appeared to have committed suicide by consuming some chemical in the night,” Barhat said. The family belonging to the Bhil community had come to India from Pakistan’s Sindh province in 2015 on a long-term visa. They had been living at the Lodta village farm, which they had hired for farming, for the past six months.

“There was neither any injury mark on any of the bodies nor any evidences of any foul play. But we have roped in a forensic team and a dog squad before arriving at any conclusion,” the SP said.

Preliminary investigation indicated that there was some dispute in the family over some issue.

According to a police officer, the victims lived under threat from the family of their daughter-in-law, wife of Kewal Ram (35), the surviving member of the victim family. “She has been living with her family in Jodhpur for the past some time due to some dispute,” said the police officer.

Kewal Ram said, “I went to guard our crop from animals and slept there,” he said. In the morning, when he came back, he found all his family members dead. — PTI