Ahmedabad: Four members of a family, including two minor girls, were feared drowned in the Narmada main canal near Fatiyavad village in Kheda’s Kapadvanj taluka on Thursday. Police are not ruling out the possibility of the case being a mass suicide.Police said the woman allegedly jumped into the canal along with her two daughters, both said to be aged under 10 years, for reasons yet to be ascertained. On learning about the incident, her husband rushed to the spot and leapt into the canal. He did this in an attempt to save them or end his own life yet, police officers said.Preliminary investigation shows that the woman had arrived at the canal bridge with her daughters earlier in the day. Police suspect that she may have first thrown the girls into the water before jumping in.The husband later reached the spot and jumped into the canal, police said. All four were rapidly swept away in the strong current and deep water.Locals who witnessed the incident immediately alerted police and emergency services. Teams from Kapadvanj fire brigade and Atarsumba police station rushed to the spot. Fire personnel, along with local swimmers, launched an extensive search operation in the canal.Police said the body of one of the girls had been recovered till late evening, while efforts were underway to find the remaining three. The rapid current in the canal was hampering rescue operations, officials added.Police were yet to disclose the identities of the deceased and are trying to ascertain the circumstances leading to the family taking the extreme step.
