Hyderabad, Dec 11 (IANS): Distressed over financial losses and debt burden, three members of a family in Telangana's Mancherial district died by consuming pesticide while the fourth was battling for life.

The family resorted to the extreme step at their residence at Kasipet village in Thandur mandal of Mancherial district in the early hours of Tuesday. Three of them succumbed at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Hospital in Warangal on Wednesday.

Samudrala Mondia (60), his wife Sridevi (50), daughter Chitti (30) and son Shiva Prasad (26) consumed pesticides in a suicide pact at their residence.

Hearing screams the neighbours alerted Emergency Health Service 108. The family was shifted to the government hospital at Bellampalli and from there to Mancherial. As their condition turned critical, they were later taken to MGM Hospital in Warangal.

However, Mondia, Sridevi and Chitti succumbed on Wednesday. Shiva Prasad was undergoing treatment and his condition remained critical.

According to villagers, Mondia ran a small 'kirana' (grocery) shop at his house and delivered milk packets. Prasad was working as a lab technician but quit the job to start investing in the share market. He had borrowed money from different sources. Due to heavy losses in online trading, he ran away from the house a year ago. Two months later, he attempted suicide by jumping into Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada. However, the police rescued him and sent him home.

Unable to bear the pressure from financiers to pay the debt, the family members took an extreme step.

Mondia had reportedly informed his relatives about the suicide attempt. Though the relatives rushed to the house to dissuade them, they had already consumed soft drinks mixed with pesticides.

Police have registered a case and begun the investigation.