A web of debt & a suicide pact: Dehradun family of 7 meets tragic end in Panchkula

In Sector 27, Panchkula, a tragedy unfolded late on Monday night as six members of a family were found dead inside a car. One of the occupants, a man gasping for breath, was found partially conscious. Despite efforts to save him, he died at Panchkula Civil Hospital in Sector 6. He was identified as Parveen Mittal (41), who in his final moments confessed to being heavily in debt and indicated that his entire family entered a suicide pact.

Police later identified the deceased as Parveen Mittal, his wife Reena, their three minor children — twin girls aged approximately 12, and Hardik (14) — and Parveen’s parents, Deshraj Mittal and his wife Bimla.

The parked vehicle, bearing a Dehradun registration number, attracted attention due to its windows being obscured with towels. Local resident Harshit Rana, who had stepped out for a walk, approached the car and noticed the covered windows. He knocked, and Parveen responded, explaining that the family had come to listen to Bageshwar Dham’s Hanuman Katha in Panchkula and were looking for a hotel. He mentioned that the children had fallen asleep, so they parked the vehicle temporarily. Harshit recounted that this explanation immediately struck him as odd, especially given the unusual sight of the covered windows. Upon closer inspection, he and some others saw the family members lying motionless. The police were alerted immediately, and the PCR vehicle reached within minutes.

Puneet Rana, another eyewitness, recalled how he was horrified to find six people slumped across each other, unresponsive, with signs of vomiting. Rana offered Parveen water and asked whether he had killed the others. In response, Parveen admitted that all the others had taken poison and were already dead, and that he had done the same. He said he had “taken poison” and “would die in five minutes,” and then collapsed. While all six members were rushed to Ojas Hospital, Parveen was taken to Civil Hospital, where he later died.

The family’s last days

The family had moved to Saketri in Panchkula around a month ago, after relocating multiple times in recent years due to mounting financial pressure. Originally from Hisar, they had earlier lived in Dehradun and briefly in Kharar before shifting to Pinjore to stay with Reena's father, Rakesh. However, tensions with the in-laws led them to move again, this time to a rented accommodation in Saketri.

On the morning of the incident, Parveen had called Manish Chaudhary, their landlord, and informed him that the family would be leaving the city as the children's summer vacation had started. When Manish asked whether Parveen’s parents would also be going, he simply replied that the entire family was leaving.

According to Parveen’s father-in-law Rakesh, the family had been battling a financial crisis. He said Parveen had accumulated debt running into several crores and was no longer in touch with him. He was unaware of the family’s whereabouts until the police arrived at his home to deliver the news.

Sandeep Aggarwal, a cousin of Parveen who lives in Ludhiana, said that Parveen had been struggling for years and often refused help, if offered. At one point, his debt is believed to have reached between Rs 15 to 20 crore. Sandeep confirmed that Parveen left a note addressed to him, asking to be informed of the deaths and requesting that he conduct the last rites. The note also stated that no legal action should be taken against Parveen’s father-in-law. However, officials also confirmed that the note also maintained that his last rites shouldn’t be conducted by his father-in-law, which indicated estrangement from family. Sandeep explained that Parveen had once operated a factory in Baddi, owned flats and vehicles in Panchkula, but over time abandoned everything due to financial failure and had become reclusive. A decade ago, the family vanished from Panchkula, only to resurface in Dehradun, living in anonymity before relocating again.

Notes, suspicions, and a web of debt

Two handwritten notes were recovered from the car which said the same thing, although police have not officially termed them suicide notes pending forensic analysis. Reportedly, he wrote two notes so that if one was missed; while one was carefully placed on the dashboard, another was found inside some books in the car. Sources indicate that it holds Parveen solely responsible, detailing debt as a motive. There are mentions of the family being harassed and let down by affluent relatives who refused to assist them in their time of need.

One of the more surprising details of the investigation came from the car’s registration. Though the car bore Dehradun's number plate, it was registered in the name of Gambhir Singh Negi, a resident of Dehradun’s Maldevta area. He told authorities that he had met Parveen during his time working for an NGO called Wildlife Care Mission and had helped him secure financing for the vehicle.

A comprehensive investigation unfolds

In response to the shocking case, the Panchkula Police have launched an intensive, multi-dimensional investigation. DCP Crime Amit Dahiya confirmed that a 360-degree inquiry is being carried out and that five separate police teams have been formed to explore every possible angle. He stated that no possibility is being ruled out at this stage. Teams have been dispatched to locations, including Dehradun and Pinjore, while others are working locally to gather CCTV footage, examine the family's bank transactions, and analyse their social media history.

DCP Himadree Kaushik added that while initial observations point to suicide by poisoning, full confirmation will only come after forensic and autopsy reports are submitted. She noted that six family members were taken to a private hospital, while Parveen was transported to the civil hospital.

Inside the car

Inside the vehicle, investigators also discovered the outer cover of a bottle of Risnia syrup tucked into the car’s dashboard compartment. Medical professionals later confirmed that Risnia is a brand name for Risperidone, an antipsychotic medication commonly prescribed for conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe anxiety. The presence of this drug’s packaging has led authorities to believe that someone in the family may have been undergoing treatment for a significant mental health issue. This detail has further deepened the tragic complexity of the case, raising concerns about the psychological state of the family in the days leading up to their deaths.

Additionally, police recovered several bottles of water, beverages and a powdered substance identified as sodium nitrate from the car. Sodium nitrate, when ingested in certain quantities, can be lethal, and authorities suspect it may have been used as the agent of poisoning. However, officials remain cautious and have stated that the exact cause of death cannot be conclusively determined until the post-mortem and toxicology reports are received. The recovered items have been sent for chemical analysis to confirm their role, if any, in the apparent suicide.