Chennai, Jan 9 (IANS): Two of a family, including a woman and her 3-year-old nephew, died while two others are recuperating after the four members of a family in Tamil Nadu's Madurai attempted suicide on Sunday morning.

Madurai police identified the deceased woman as Jothika (23) and her nephew, Rithesh (3) of Kalmedu in Madurai district. Jothika's mother Lakshmi (46) and her brother Sibiraj (13) are undergoing treatment at the Government Rajaji Memorial Medical College Hospital, Madurai.

Police said that Lakshmi's husband and her elder daughter Anitha, who was mother of Rithesh, died last year due to some disease. Neighbours said that Jothika had tested Covid-19 positive and the family was dependent on her for their living. The neighbours told police that the family must have feared for Jothika's life, and that they would suffer economically and hence might have taken the extreme step.

Police said that all four of the family consumed poison and on Sunday morning Jothika and Rithesh were found dead while the other two were unconscious. Post-mortem of Jothika and Rithesh was taking place at the GRH hospital and the police are conducting an investigation.