Kasaragod | Three members of a family died and another is in critical condition after allegedly consuming acid used for rubber processing in a suspected suicide at Belur in this northern district here on Thursday, police said.

The deceased were identified as Gopi Mulaveniveedu (56), his wife K V Indira (54), and their elder son Ranjesh (36), all natives of Ondampuli, Parakkalayi, police said.

Their younger son Ragesh (35) is battling for life at the Government Medical College, Pariyaram, a police officer said.

According to Ambalathara police, the incident occurred around 3.30 am.

Ragesh managed to call his uncle Narayanan, who lives nearby, and informed him about the suicide attempt.

Neighbours rushed to the house, broke open the door, and shifted the four to the district hospital in Kanhangad, said police.

Mulaveniveedu died en route, while Indira and Ranjesh succumbed on the way to the medical college hospital in Kannur, the police officer said.

Hospital authorities said Ragesh remains critical with severe internal burns.

According to the police, the family was under financial constraints recently.

Mulaveniveedu and his sons earlier ran a grocery store at Chementhodu in Parakkalayi, but had to shut it down following losses, police said.

Ranjesh's marriage had also ended in divorce.

Mulaveniveedu, who owned land, had cut down the rubber trees there and planted coconut saplings a few months back, the officer said.

A case of unnatural death has been registered, and further investigation is under way.

The bodies will be handed over to the relatives after postmortem, the officer added.