Three members of a family were burnt alive and charred to death after the gas cylinder inside their home in Visakhapatnam's Sagarnagar area exploded after a gas leak late on Thursday night.

The deceased were identified as Challa Umamaheswara Rao, a retired engineer who had worked with the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), his son Satish Candra and daughter Lavanya. 

“A fire broke out and thick smoke engulfed the house. The neighbours tried to help the inmates but in vain. The houses located nearby have also been partially damaged under the impact of the blast,” Arilova Inspector Kishore Kumar was quoted as saying.

While the police initially suspected that it was an accident, a preliminary enquiry revealed that it may have been a suicide case. 

Two LPG cylinders, which had exploded, were found in the living room and not in the kitchen, and investigation officials suspect that all three members of the family may have stood close to them during the incident. 

Authorities also suspect that it may have been a suicide pact, as they said that they had found some notes. As far as the motive is concerned, the police said that the family was facing financial issues and that may have led to the extreme step.

Forensic teams visited the spot and collected evidence as the police registered a case under Section 174 (Suspicious death) of the CrPC and initiated a probe.

If you or anyone you know is feeling depressed or suicidal, consider reaching out to one of the following helplines:

Telangana: 

Telangana government suicide prevention toll free number - 104

Roshni- 040-66202000, 66202001

SEVA- 09441778290, 040 - 27504682 (between 9 AM and 7 PM)

Andhra Pradesh: