A 45-year-old man allegedly murdered his wife and two children before hanging himself at their apartment in Kalaburagi on the evening of April 2, police said on Thursday.

The incident occurred at Gabre Layout, near Old Jewargi Road, under Station Bazar police station limits.

The deceased have been identified as Santosh, a Senior Assistant at the Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Limited (GESCOM), his wife, and their two sons, police said.

According to police, the woman and the two children were “strangled to death”, while Santosh died by suicide.

A death note was also recovered from the scene.

“Preliminary information suggests the couple had been married for 10 years and frequently fought. They had severed ties with their family for the past seven years. The death note mentions frequent misunderstandings and quarrels between them as the reason,” Police Commissioner Sharanappa S D said.

Speaking to reporters, he stated, “We have registered a murder case. The Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO) team, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), and fingerprint experts have inspected the site. The exact timing of the incident is yet to be determined, but it likely occurred between 6-8 pm.”

According to the police, after taking the lives of his wife and children, Santosh called a member of his wife’s family, informing them about the incident and indicating that he intended to end his own life.

“The family member tried to dissuade him from ending his life, but in vain. When they arrived, the door was locked from the inside. Upon breaking it open, they discovered the bodies,” police said, adding that further investigation is underway.

(Discussions on suicides can be triggering for some. But suicides are preventable. If you are looking for help, some suicide prevention helpline numbers in India are 011-40769002 from Sanjivini (Delhi-based, 10 am – 5.30 pm) and 044-24640050 from Sneha Foundation (Chennai-based, 8 am – 10 pm), ‪‪+91 9999666555‬‬ from Vandrevala Foundation (Mumbai-based, 24×7).