NEW DELHI: In a tragic and deeply disturbing incident, seven members of a family from Dehradun were found dead in a parked car in Sector 27 of Panchkula, Haryana. Police suspect the family died by suicide, possibly due to financial distress stemming from a large unpaid debt.
The bodies were discovered late Tuesday after local residents spotted the family inside the locked vehicle, appearing unresponsive. They immediately alerted emergency services by dialing 112. A PCR team rushed to the spot, broke open the car doors, and attempted to rescue the occupants. The victims, who were barely conscious at the time, were taken to a private hospital and the Panchkula Civil Hospital, where they were declared brought dead.
The deceased have been identified as Praveen Mittal (42), a resident of Dehradun, along with his parents, wife, two daughters, and a son.
According to sources, the family had traveled to Panchkula on Monday to attend a Hanuman Katha event at Bageshwar Dham. It is believed that after the religious programme concluded, the family took the extreme step while on their way back home.
Police recovered a suicide note from the car, and forensic teams were deployed to examine the scene. Officials, including Panchkula DCP Himadri Kaushik and DCP Law & Order Amit Dahiya, arrived to supervise the investigation.
“This is too early to reach any conclusion. Investigations are ongoing, and we are trying to contact the family’s relatives to complete the inquest and other formalities,” said DCP (Crime) Amit Dahiya.
The bodies have been moved to a private hospital’s mortuary in Panchkula for post-mortem examination.
