Family Of 7 That Died By Suicide In Car Left These Final Words: 'Our Relatives Are Rich, But...'
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Praveen told Puneet he was deep in debt and would die within five minutes. He also expressed sadness that his wealthy relatives had refused to offer him any help
In a major development in the case of seven members of a family who died by suicide in Haryana's Panchkula, a disturbing video has surfaced showing one of the victims, moments before losing consciousness after allegedly consuming poison.
In the video, the man, identified as Praveen Mittal, is seen sitting near a ramp with his head slumped forward, showing clear signs of distress. His neck appears slightly bent, suggesting the effects of poisoning as he seems to be on the verge of losing consciousness.
The family, originally from Barwala and currently residing in Dehradun, had parked their car in front of a house in Sector 27 of Panchkula. A passer-by, Puneet Rana, noticed white towels hung on the car's windows and approached the family.
When Puneet questioned Praveen, he reportedly explained that they had come to Panchkula to listen to a Katha and were searching for a hotel. Failing to find one, they decided to sleep in their car.
'When we opened one of the doors of the car, we saw people lying inside the vehicle. The person on the driving seat was alive and told us that his family did not find a hotel and were returning from an event, so they all slept in the car," the local told reporters.
'I asked him to park his car somewhere in the market area, and he started to turn the engine on. That's when I saw that all members of his family had vomited on each other," he said.
Puneet noted that the car had only been parked for 10 to 15 minutes and found a medicine strip inside the vehicle. Puneet said that the child, along with the grandfather and uncle, were seated in the front.
'Sensing something fishy, I asked the man to step out of the car, and he sat on a ramp at the roadside. He told me his family was drowning in debt and that he, too, would be dead in the next five minutes. He collapsed moments later," the local said.
'None of those in the car responded when I tried to talk to them, they were all dead. The police reached the spot in two minutes. However, the ambulance arrived only 45 minutes later," he said.
Praveen reportedly confided to Puneet that he was heavily in debt and predicted he would die within five minutes. Puneet added that Praveen expressed sorrow over his wealthy relatives' refusal to help him.
When the police arrived, they discovered a married couple in their 40s, three children, and two elderly people dead inside a car.
Puneet mentioned he detected a strong odor coming from the car and tried to rouse the occupants, but only one person showed any signs of life.
Panchkula Deputy Commissioner of Police Himadri Kaushik said, 'Our forensic team has reached the spot. We are analysing the details and are scanning the car thoroughly."
'Some facts that have emerged primarily indicate that this is a matter of suicide," the DSP said.
A suicide note found in their vehicle revealed that financial troubles were the cause of their tragic decision.
Praveen Mittal has been identified as one of the deceased, alongside his three children who were all under 14 years old, his wife, and his parents.
According to Additional Commissioner of Police Vikram Nehra, all seven were discovered inside the same car, with a towel covering the rear windshield. When they were brought to a nearby hospital in Panchkula, only Praveen Mittal was still alive but he passed away during treatment.
The police are continuing their investigation, and the bodies have been sent for post-mortem examinations. Praveen Mittal, who was originally from Barwala in Panchkula, resided in Dehradun where he managed a tour and travel business. It is believed that severe financial losses may have driven him to take this extreme step along with his family.
If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)
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