Surat: Seven members of a family, including three children, were found dead at their residence in Surat city of Gujarat on Saturday, with the police suspecting it to be a case of mass suicide.

The bodies of the seven deceased were found in an apartment in Adajan locality, police said, adding that a note was also recovered from their house which says that the family was taking the extreme step out of financial distress.

“A man, his wife, his parents, the couple’s six-year-old son and two daughters aged 10 and 13 were found dead at their residence in Siddheshwar Apartment in Surat this afternoon. We are trying to ascertain the exact cause of their death,” DCP (Zone-5) R P Barot said.

While the man – Manish Solanki (37) who worked as a contractor – was found hanging, the bodies of six members of his family, including three children, were found lying on the bed and the floor of the house. The six family members appeared to have died after consuming a poisonous substance, the official said.

As per the note recovered from the house, the family took the extreme step out of financial distress caused after being unable to recover money lent to someone, Barot said, adding that a bottle, which apparently contained the poisonous substance, has also been recovered.

Surat Mayor Niranjan Zanzmera said, “It appears that Solanki made his family members consume poison before hanging himself. The bodies are being sent for post-mortem.”