Calcutta, March 5: For the last three years, a mother mustered all the affection of her heart and fed her physically-challenged son with a spoon every day. Unable to bear his suffering any longer, the spoon she lifted to his mouth today set him free — it contained poison.

After her son died, Janaki Mondal also consumed poison and is now fighting for life at a hospital at Paschim Jata in Raidighi, about 90 km from the city.

Keshab was born three years ago with defective limbs. The 28-year-old Janaki tried to bring him up like other children. However, the child became more and more inactive, writhing with pain at the slightest moves that ultimately became unbearable.

“We had consulted several doctors in an effort to get the defect rectified to some extent at least. But his sufferings multiplied with each day,” said Keshab’s father, Probhanjan.

“My wife always told me of his pain, which she could not bear anymore. Perhaps hoping to rid him of all his pain and misery, she fed him poison and also consumed some herself,” said Probhanjan, holding his five-year-old daughter by the hand.

Mondal said he had gone to the market but rushed home on learning of the tragedy. The mother and child were taken to the local hospital, where the child was declared brought dead.