AGARTALA / SIMNA, Nov 24 (TIWN): Former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar after visiting poverty led suicide victims’ home at Simna’s Barkathal area’s Sannashmura village conformed that the deaths are totally related to hunger and poverty added by debt burdens. The are belongs to BJP Minister Ratanlal Nath but he yet to visit the place after this unfortunate incident's crossed 24 hours. Addressing media former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said, “At first we were informed on yesterday afternoon about the poverty related death of this family. I contacted our former Minister, Pranab Debbarma. He informed that he is going to the spot to gather information and we held our decision till he gave us the total report. After getting his report, which is indeed serious we 3 MLAs have arrived this spot. Along with me, MLA Ratan Bhowmik, MLA Sudhan Das are too visiting. But after arriving here and talked to the locals, it’s so far proven true that due to poverty only massive frustration led the tragic incident. They had poverty and one L&T named Annapurna they had to bear. In total 5000 of loans they to bear. On the one side, there is no food, work, life and on the other side, Rs. 5000 has to bear. Moreover they had a land and it had an issue”.

Manik Sarkar also said that there was no negligence to the Children. They were studying in schools and the 5 years old girl was a student of Anganwadi school.

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“I observed works are going on both sides of road but totaling all not even 50 people were seen on work. This is such a big area and no work given to people in this situation what the people should do ? How can they survive ?”, said Manik Sarkar.

On being asked by media about Chief Minister Biplab Deb’s claims about development and lifespan of humans increasing in Tripura, Manik Sarkar said that media must ask question to him about this, instead of asking the opposition leader.

“Our demand is only, the people should not be dying in poverty like this. Public must have to get works in hands”, said Sarkar.

Reacting over the incident Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Amitava Paul said, "One Paresh Tanti, 32, and his wife Sandhya Tanti, 28, first poisoned two of their children -- Bishal Tanti, 9 and Rupali Tanti, 5 -- to death and then killed themselves by hanging from a tree nearby their thatched house,"

 He said the reason behind the deaths could not be ascertained immediately. However, local people said that abject poverty is the cause of the mass suicide.

This is not an isolated incident but 6 Brus died in Kanchanpur camp out of starvation and a mother handed-over her child in Belonia to child-home due to poverty.