She pushed three children into the river one by one before jumping with her eldest son

Siraha, July 6

A mother tried to commit suicide by jumping into the Saptakoshi River, along with her four children, from Koshi barrage of Bharadah in Kankalini Municiplaity, Saptari, last night.

Police have rescued the mother and her son from the Koshi River while three other children are still missing in the river.

Ruksana Khatun, 31, of Govindpur in Golbazaar Municipality, Siraha, had jumped into the Saptakoshi River with her three sons and a daughter. Police have rescued Ruksana and her son Mohammad Tahasin, 5.

Ruksana’s sons Mohammad Aslam, 3, Mohammad Tashim, 11, and daughter Ajameri Kahtun, 2, are still missing in the river, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhabesh Rimal.

The rescued mother and son are being treated at a local health facility. Their condition is said to be normal.

Mohammad Tahasin was rescued from the barrage last night while his mother was rescued from Palar, 4km away from the barrage this morning. Search for the missing children is still on.

A minor dispute had broken out between Ruksana and her husband Taiyab Rayan on Thursday night.

“Ruksana had fought with her husband claiming that her hubby had an extra marital affair with a woman,” said a neighbour.

“Ruksana jumped into the river with her four children due to the dispute with her husband,” Ward Chair Ram Pukar Kamati said.

Taiyab is a local driver. He went to work the next morning after the dispute on Thursday night. “Ruksana left for her parental house at Chha Ghare of Birendra Bazaar in Ganeshman Charnath Municipality, Dhanusha,” said ward Chair Kamati quoting Ruksana’s neighbour.

She, however, did not visit her parental home and headed for Koshi barrage.

Ruksana pushed three children one by one into the river before she jumped into the river with her eldest son.