A businessman allegedly smothered his wife and two young daughters before dying by suicide in Karnataka's Mysuru district, police said Wednesday.

The four family members were found dead at their home in Hunsur town. The deceased were identified as Harish (42), his wife Nishchita (34), and their daughters, Niksha (12), and Raksha (8).

Preliminary findings indicate that Harish allegedly smothered his wife and two daughters before taking his own life. Police said the mouths and noses of the three victims had been sealed with adhesive plaster, suggesting they died of suffocation.

According to police, Harish left behind a suicide note stating that he would be found hanging in an upstairs room. He was found hanging on the first floor of the family's house.

Harish was involved in real estate and other businesses. Cops suspect it is a case of murder-suicide linked to financial distress.

Police said Harish had reportedly sent his mother, who lived with the family, to a relative's house three days before the incident.

The purported suicide note also mentioned property documents kept in a locker, specified the location of the keys, and requested police to hand them over to a person named in the note.

"His mother has informed us about the debts. We are investigating whether the incident was triggered by financial liabilities. We are examining whether there were any family-related issues or other reasons behind the incident," Mysuru Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baldandi told PTI.

Police said they are investigating all possible angles, including financial liabilities and family-related issues. An investigation is underway.

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Published By:

Devika Bhattacharya

Published On:

Jul 22, 2026 13:42 IST