Woman pushes kids into tank, then jumps into it

Distraught by her husband’s terminal illness, a young woman pushed her two children into a water tank before jumping into it, police said. The incident occurred at Appagere village in Channapatna taluk, Ramanagaram district, on Sunday morning.

Rekha, 26, was married to Naveen. The couple had a happy life until Naveen was diagnosed with having jaundice of the liver. He was admitted to a hospital in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, two months ago but doctors said the chances of his survival were bleak. Rekha was heartbroken at the news and lost the desire to live. Confiding in her relatives, she wondered what would happen to her and her two children — son Nuthan, 7, and daughter Manvitha, 3 —  after her husband’s death. Police believe that her extreme step was driven by despondency.

Rekha hailed from Hanumanthapur village in Maddur taluk, Mandya district. She started a mobile canteen after her marriage. Naveen is a tender coconut vendor.