From UP to Karnataka: Innocent children killed by parents amid marital discord | Gravitas

Two years ago, India was left in shock after Suchana Seth, a CEO of a Bengaluru-based AI start-up was arrested for smothering her four-year-old son to death at a resort in Goa.

Over the last few months, many such cases have come to light where parents have allegedly killed their own children, and at times, even taken their own lives later.

Barely a day earlier, Bengaluru was rocked by a double-murder case.

A woman named Harini was taken into custody for murdering her husband Abhinandan and their four-year-old son.

Now, what was the trigger for this? Her alleged affair and marital discord.

What was the child's fault?

Why did an innocent child have to pay the price for this?

Earlier this month, another disturbing case unfolded in Bengaluru.

A 40-year-old man checked into a five-star hotel near the airport with his two daughters. Hours later, he allegedly strangled both of them and then tried to end his own life by slitting his throat. However, he was rescued in time by the hotel security.

A suicide note recovered from the scene pointed towards a prolonged marital dispute, with the accused suspecting his wife of having an affair.

This is not all.

In April, medicine dealer Shashi Ranjan Mishra allegedly murdered his 11-year-old twin daughters by slitting their throats with a steel axe. The murders took place at Trimurti Apartments in Kanpur, where they were staying for the past seven years.

Subsequently, he was arrested.

It is learnt that Mishra himself informed the police after committing the murders. According to his wife Reshma, he often came home drunk and engaged in arguments and fights.

According to reports, a dispute arose between the two even on the night of the killings.

It is also suspected that the accused may have given his family sleeping polls before the incident, as his wife and son were present in the same room at the time of murder but were unaware of it.

Now, what is the scale of parents killing their children, and then taking their own lives?

While India does not maintain separate data for such cases, family problems accounted for 34% of all suicide cases.

The role of mental health cannot be understated.

According to some experts, the core issue remains that domestic distress is often seen as something which should be contained within the home.

Instead of seeking professional help, a husband and wife are expected to sort out their problems among themselves.

This has also brought into focus India's high mental health treatment gap.

According to the Indian Psychiatric Society, nearly 85% of individuals suffering from mental health disorders do not receive timely or appropriate care.

Although there may not be enough evidence to suggest that such incidents are rising at a fast pace, it is increasingly clear that we need to take mental health very seriously.

As the consequences can be harrowing.