34-year-old held for poisoning parents to death

PATIALA

: Police on Friday arrested a 34-year-old man, Shalin Singla, on charges of poisoning his parents to death in Tazjalpura area of the city.

According to police, they had received information on Thursday evening that 60-year-old Mohan Lal Singla and his 57-year-old wife Madhu Singla along with their son Shalin Singla had consumed some poisonous substance.

According to sources, Mohan Lal used to run a grocery store in the neighbourhood and his son Shalin owned a small electronics shop in the vicinity. They said the family was going through financial problems and their other son Ankur Singla was in jail in connection with another case.

The three were rushed to government hospital, where both Mohan Lal and Madhu Singla were declared dead, while Shalin was admitted and being treated.

According to police, when they spoke to Shalin about the incident, he continued to alter his statements, making the team suspicious. They said after grilling him repeatedly at the hospital, it came to light that Shalin had administered

poison

to his parents following which he was booked under Section 302 of the IPC and placed under arrest for the double murder.

Urban Estate police station house officer Harjinder Singh Dhillon said the matter was being further investigated but on the basis of the evidence that has been collected so far, it appears the Shalin poisoned his parents and then himself consumed some poison to make it look like a suicide.

Meanwhile, relatives claimed Shalin could not have poisoned his parents and there could have been some misunderstanding.