Maharashtra teacher, 2 children drown after car plunges into Godavari river in Nanded

A school teacher and his two young children drowned after he allegedly drove his car off a bridge into the Godavari river in Maharashtra's Nanded. Police suspect suicide, pointing to a WhatsApp status where he alleged harassment by seniors

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A school teacher allegedly drove his car carrying his two children through the side railings of a bridge over the Godavari river in Maharashtra’s Nanded district on Friday, drowning all three. Police suspect it was a case of suicide, officials said.

In his WhatsApp status, Sunil More (42), posted at the Pota Budruk Zilla Parishad school in Himayatnagar, had alleged that he was being harassed by his seniors and would end his life along with those of his two children, they said.

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Around 8 am, More took his car, with his daughter Sara (12) and son Sumit (8), on the Amdura-Punegaon road and crashed into the side metal railings of a bridge over the Godavari, an official said.

The car broke through the barrier and plunged into the water. “More and his children drowned in the river,” he said, adding that his wife was at home at the time.

Locals alerted the police and the State Disaster Response Force team stationed in Nanded. After three hours of effort, the team pulled the car out of the river. Subsequently, the bodies of the teacher and his children were recovered from the vehicle, he said.

The teacher had posted a WhatsApp status alleging harassment by seniors and stating that he would die by suicide along with his children, the official said.

Police said the bodies have been sent for post-mortem and a probe is underway into More’s claims.