Bhubaneswar, April 5: A 29-year-old woman today poisoned her three children to death and later killed herself at Dangiriguda village in Nabarangpur district, around 650km from here.

Police are yet to ascertain the cause behind the incident that took place between 2pm and 2.30pm.

The deceased were identified as Kumari Harijan, her two daughters Prabhati, 7, Reema, 4, and her 18-month-old son Nilu. The police said that while Kumari died at the hospital where she had been rushed by her neighbours, the kids were declared received dead at the facility.

"The family was living in an Indira Awaas house, while their old house is located 50 metres from it. The neighbours found the old house on fire and informed the fire personnel. Later, they found Kumari and her kids shouting in their new home. When they broke open the door, they found all lying unconscious," said inspector in charge of Kosagumuda police station Saroj Kumar Upadhyaya.

Kumari's husband, a mason, was not present during the incident. "Her husband told us that she was normal and offered him food before he left for work. The husband also denied any family feud," said Upadhyaya.

"Her husband was earning Rs 10,000 per month by working as a mason. The family also has a BPL card and was beneficiary of several government schemes for the poor. We were told that she had an argument with her husband four months ago. But, it is hard to believe that the incident provoked her to take the drastic step," said a police official.

Revenge murder

Police today arrested 22-year-old Ranga Sahu of Kamparkela village on charge of killing a three-year-old girl by slitting her throat with a sharp weapon.

The incident took place yesterday at Kamparkela in the Pallahara police limits.

Ranga allegedly killed the child to take revenge on her mother as she had suspected that the girl's mother has had a role in spoiling her marriage proposal.

The police said Tina, the three-year-old daughter of Druba and Rani Sahu, had gone to anganwadi centre to study. Later, Ranga went there and brought Tina to her house, when the guard was not present at the centre. "After cajoling the child to her home, she brought out a vegetable knife and cut the throat of that child several times till she died. Then she took the body outside the village and dumped it under a culvert," said inspector in charge of Pallahara police station N.N. Jena.

"When Tina's family members could not trace her, a search was made. After sometime, Tina's blood stained body was recovered from the culvert. We picked up four people, including Ranga, to the police station, where she later admitted to have committed the crime," Jena said.

Jena said the motive was to settle score with Rani, whom she had suspected to be behind breakdown of her marriage proposal with a man at the same village.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY B.K. ROUT IN ANGUL