Chandigarh, May 27 (PTI) – A tragic incident unfolded in Panchkula, Haryana, where six members of a family, including three children, were found dead inside a car, with authorities suspecting a suicide pact. Another family member passed away while being transported to a hospital, according to police reports.
A passerby discovered the vehicle late last night and briefly interacted with the last family member to die.
Police have identified the deceased as Praveen Mittal, 41, along with his wife, their three minor children (two of whom were twin girls), and his parents.
The car bore a Dehradun registration number and was parked on a roadside in the residential area of Panchkula's Sector 27.
Local resident Puneet Rana recounted that he was out on a walk with another individual and noticed the car at around 10 pm, with a towel hanging from one of its doors.
Upon finding the car unlocked, he opened a door and spoke with the man inside, who mentioned they were sleeping in the vehicle after failing to secure a hotel room post a Bageshwar Dham event in Panchkula.
Rana noted seeing six people lying motionless inside the car, with vomit present, as he shone a torch through the glass.
The seventh person, with whom Rana spoke, was having difficulty breathing.
Growing suspicious, the passerby helped the man out, offered him water, and asked whether he had harmed the occupants inside.
The man reportedly responded that his family members had committed suicide, and he too would die soon, after which he collapsed, as relayed by Rana.
Before losing consciousness, the man mentioned being heavily indebted to banks and lamented that their wealthy relatives were not providing assistance.
A crowd gathered, and the police were informed. Although the police arrived quickly, it took approximately 40 minutes for an ambulance to reach the scene.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Himadree Kaushik stated, "Prima facie, it appears to be a case of suicide, but further investigations are ongoing." She added that six of the deceased were transported to a private hospital, and one to the civil hospital. "All seven have died," she confirmed, with poisoning suspected as the cause of death.
DCP (Crime) Amit Dahiya said, "We are exploring all angles in the investigation. We are interviewing locals and reviewing CCTV footage."
Police are also examining the family's social media profiles and bank transactions, as shared with PTI.
Praveen's father-in-law, Rakesh, informed reporters in Panchkula that he learned of the tragedy when police arrived at his Pinjore residence at 4 am.
He admitted to having limited contact with the family recently, although he had previously offered financial help.
When asked about the family's whereabouts last night, he said, "I was told they attended a Bageshwar Dham event in Panchkula." He added that the family lived in Panchkula's Sakreti area.
Sandeep Aggarwal, a Ludhiana resident, told PTI Videos that his cousin, Praveen Mittal, was financially distressed but declined assistance whenever it was offered.
At the time of his death, Mittal was working as a taxi driver to make ends meet, he said.
Aggarwal reported that police had informed him of a note left by his cousin. "The note requested that I be notified, and asked me to perform the last rites, insisting no action be taken against his father-in-law."
He recounted that Mittal once owed between Rs 15 to Rs 20 crore, though it was an old matter, with banks having seized available assets to recover the debt.
Aggarwal said his cousin moved to Dehradun a decade ago without notifying anyone, and only six years ago did they learn of his whereabouts.
A year ago, the family returned to Kharar, Punjab, but struggled with rent payments, eventually seeking refuge at his father-in-law's Pinjore home. Unable to stay there, they relocated to Saketri.
Aggarwal was shocked upon receiving the news of the family's deaths, initially dismissing it as a prank call.
DCP Dahiya noted that five police teams have been established, with one each dispatched to Dehradun and Pinjore for further investigation.
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