The man who killed his three children and hung himself in Sungai Petani yesterday was believed to have resorted to the act due to harassment from loan sharks, Tamil daily Makkal Osai reported today.

It was previously reported that S Sivarau, 49, a contractor, was facing financial problems.

Sivarau was found hanged in a room in the upper floor of the double storey house in Perdana Heights, Amanjaya, while his daughter Yamuna Sri (aged eight), and sons Raghuram Rau (six) and Sashvin Rau (five), were found dead on the bed in the same room, believed to have been suffocated with a pillow.

Sivarau's wife V Kamini, had also hung herself in the same room, three weeks ago.

Kamini's mother, S Punitha, said she had been staying at the house with her son-in-law since her daughter committed suicide, to help take care of the children.

"The last I met them was during dinner on Sunday and after that, he went into his room upstairs.

"About 5am yesterday, I heard my granddaughter screaming and when I asked why, Sivarau said she was just having nightmares and everything was fine," Punitha was quoted as saying.

Not suspecting anything, she conducted household chores until later in the afternoon and only when she checked why the four did not come down for their meals, did she make the gruesome find.

Similar to Johor Bahru incident

The daily said that initial investigations revealed that harassment from loan sharks may be the reason why Sivarau had resorted to such drastic action.

The murder-cum-suicide is similar to an incident in Taman Mutiara Rini, Johor Bahru, on Oct 6, where a businessperson killed his wife and two children, before taking his own life.

R Pubalan, 52, was found hanging by a piece of cloth from the ceiling, in a bedroom of the two-storey terrace house, while his wife P Jeya, 46, was found dead on a bed in the living room on the ground floor. She is said to have suffered from kidney ailments for a long time and was undergoing haemodialysis.

The couple's children, P Sharveen, 14, and Krishaa Priteena, nine, were found lying side by side in another bedroom, believed to be strangled.

Pubalan was also reportedly in dire financial straits, due to his failing business and expenses for his wife's medical condition.

Just three days prior to the murder-cum-suicide, he was believed to have been harassed by loan sharks, the Malay Mail reported.