In a chilling reminder of the silent despair gripping many Indian households, a family of seven — including three young children — allegedly ended their lives by suicide inside a parked car near Panchkula late May 26 night. Investigators say financial debt may have pushed the family into a deadly pact.
The victims were identified as Praveen Mittal, 42, his elderly parents, his wife, and their three children — two daughters and a son. All were residents of Dehradun and had recently attended a religious programme at Bageshwar Dham. They were on their way back when tragedy struck.
Locals grew suspicious of a vehicle with Uttarakhand plates parked unusually on a quiet residential lane. A man — believed to be Praveen Mittal — was spotted sitting silently beside the vehicle on the pavement. A towel hung from the car door, and an acrid stench lingered in the air.
“What caught our attention was the stillness, and then the smell,” a local resident said. “We approached the man and asked if everything was alright. He said they had no hotel and were spending the night in the car. He seemed off. When I looked inside, I saw six lifeless bodies… children among them. They had vomited over each other. It was horrifying.”
The man reportedly collapsed moments later, murmuring, “My family is gone… I’ll be dead in five minutes.” Despite being rushed to the hospital along with the others, he too was declared dead shortly after.
Preliminary police investigations suggest the family ingested poison in what appears to be a suicide pact. A suicide note was recovered from the car, the contents of which remain under wraps. Authorities say mounting debt may have driven the family to this extreme step.
“We reached Ojas Hospital where six were declared dead. A seventh victim was taken to Civil Hospital, but he could not be revived either,” said Himadri Kaushik, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Panchkula.
“We’re gathering forensic and circumstantial evidence to ascertain the timeline and motive.”
The bodies have been moved to a private hospital mortuary. A case has been registered, and a detailed probe is underway.