Tragic Family Suicide in Panchkula: Seven Found Dead in Car Amid Financial Struggles
In a heartbreaking incident that unfolded late Monday night, seven members of a family were found in a semi-conscious state inside a parked car near a vacant plot in Haryana’s Panchkula.
All were later declared dead, with initial police investigations pointing toward mass suicide allegedly driven by overwhelming financial debt and psychological distress.
According to Panchkula Police, the deceased have been identified as Praveen Mittal, a businessman, his wife Reena, their children—14-year-old son Hardik and 11-year-old twin daughters Dhruvika and Dalisha—as well as Praveen’s elderly parents, Deshraj and Vimla.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Himadree Kaushik, along with Assistant Commissioner of Police Vikram Nehra and other senior officials, rushed to the scene and later visited the hospital where the victims were taken.
Preliminary evidence suggests that the cause of death was poisoning. Authorities recovered a handwritten two-page note from the car, indicating that Praveen Mittal had allegedly orchestrated the act due to financial ruin.
“Prima facie, this appears to be a case of suicide linked to severe financial difficulties and mental health struggles. However, we are investigating the matter from all possible angles,” DCP Kaushik stated.
Statements from family members and witnesses are being recorded to assist in the ongoing investigation.
Discovery of the Car and Witness Account
Police received a distress call around midnight reporting a suspicious vehicle parked in Sector 27. Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) were dispatched to the location, where officers discovered the family members in a semi-conscious condition inside a Hyundai car.
The car’s rear windshield had been covered with a towel, raising further suspicion.
Harsh, a resident who spotted the car while out on a late-night walk, described the scene to the police. “I saw multiple people sitting motionless in the car.
I managed to pull one person out—he was barely conscious and identified himself as Praveen Mittal. There was vomit everywhere inside the vehicle,” Harsh said.
Harsh added that Mittal told him the family had attended a religious event led by Dhirendra Shastri and had consumed poison.
Alarmed, Harsh immediately contacted emergency services by dialing 112, prompting a swift police and medical response.
Suicide Note and Financial Background
In the suicide note recovered from the car, Praveen Mittal wrote, “I have gone bankrupt. I am responsible for all this. My father-in-law should not be troubled. My cousin will perform the last rites for the family.”
According to police records, Mittal had started a tours and travel agency in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, which failed financially. Before that, he had operated a scrap material processing unit.
His cousin Sandeep Aggarwal told investigators that Praveen had not been in regular contact with family members for the past five years after shifting to Dehradun. “He told me last week that he was under severe debt and was running a taxi business,” Sandeep said.
Family Statements Reveal Deepening Crisis
Rakesh Gupta, Praveen’s father-in-law, revealed that he had been estranged from Praveen for nearly a decade but had continued to support his daughter Reena financially.
He also mentioned that Praveen had defaulted on a ₹1 crore loan and had been declared a proclaimed offender by a bank.
Reena’s sister, Rakhi Gupta, corroborated these claims, stating that the couple had recently moved into rented accommodation in the Mansa Devi Complex and had enrolled their children in a school in Sector 22, Chandigarh.
The tragic incident has left the local community in shock and has highlighted the devastating impact of financial distress and untreated psychological issues.
Police have said that they are leaving no stone unturned in their investigation and are continuing to examine all aspects of the case.
Authorities are also expected to conduct forensic analysis and toxicology reports to confirm the exact cause of death. Meanwhile, the police are in contact with the extended family to coordinate the final rites and other formalities.
