Rajkot, Sep 21 (IANS): Nine members of the Soni family from the Kevdavadi area of Rajkot attempted mass suicide by consuming poison on Saturday. The family members have been rushed to Civil Hospital for emergency treatment.

Reports said that the Soni family - jewellers by profession - took the extreme step after traders from Mumbai withheld Rs 2.75 crore for 22-carat gold jewellery they had supplied.

Despite repeated follow-ups over the last 11 months, the payment was not made. It is alleged that the traders not only failed to clear the dues but also issued threats to the family.

Police have launched an investigation into the case. They are examining the circumstances surrounding the family’s financial difficulties and recording statements from various individuals involved.

The family has named four individuals from Mumbai - Vijay Kailasji Rawal, Prashant, Mahendra, and others - as responsible for withholding the payment.

The condition of the family members deteriorated quickly after consuming the poison, and they were immediately shifted to a government hospital for treatment.

In a similar case in 2023, seven members of a family, including three children, were found dead in their apartment in Surat in what police suspect to be a case of mass suicide. The family, reportedly facing severe financial distress, left a note explaining their drastic step.

The bodies were discovered after neighbours detected a foul smell coming from the residence. When repeated knocks on the door went unanswered, the neighbours alerted the police.

Upon arrival, authorities found the lifeless bodies of the family members, including a contractor, his wife, his parents, and the couple’s three children, a six-year-old son and two daughters aged 10 and 13.