Mother, child die after jumping into water tank

Jaisalmer: A 23-year-old married woman and her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter died after allegedly jumping into a water tank in Barmer district Friday.

According to police, the woman identified as Dhudi, a resident of Booth Rathoran village, allegedly threw her daughter into a water tank outside her house before jumping in herself.

Chauhtan DSP Jetharam said the woman was sleeping at home with her child and left the house with the toddler in the early hours of Friday. Preliminary investigation suggests she first threw the child into the tank and then jumped in.

People living nearby rushed to the spot after hearing cries and attempted a rescue. On being informed, police reached the location and pulled both out of the tank before taking them to Chauhtan Hospital, where doctors declared them dead. Their bodies were shifted to the mortuary at Chauhtan Hospital.

After the arrival of the woman’s maternal family, a postmortem was conducted by a medical board and the bodies were handed over to relatives.

Chauhtan station officer Lalit Kishore said a case of unnatural death has been registered and an investigation is underway. Police said the family has not raised suspicion against anyone, and no evidence of domestic discord has emerged so far.

Officials said the woman was married three years ago. The exact reason behind the incident is yet to be ascertained.