A tragic case of mass suicide has shaken Panchkula, where a family of seven allegedly ended their lives due to overwhelming financial distress. The deceased include Praveen Mittal, his wife, elderly parents, and three young children.
According to Mittal’s cousin, Sandeep Agarwal, he was under a crushing debt of nearly Rs 20 crore. Years ago, Mittal had started a scrap factory in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, which was eventually seized by the bank due to unpaid loans. This financial ruin forced him to leave Panchkula and live in Dehradun, cutting off contact with his family for about six years.
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After spending time in Dehradun, he moved to Kharar in Punjab, then to Pinjore in Haryana, and finally returned to Panchkula a month ago. He was reportedly working as a taxi driver in the Saketri area. His properties, including two flats and vehicles, had also been seized by the bank.
On Monday night, following a visit to the Bageshwar Dham spiritual site, the family allegedly consumed poison while traveling back. Their car, parked in a Panchkula neighborhood, caught the attention of local resident Puneet Rana due to a towel hanging from it.
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Rana approached the car and found Mittal sitting outside. On questioning, Mittal mentioned they had no place to stay. Rana sensed something was wrong and looked inside the car, discovering six lifeless bodies.
The victims were Praveen Mittal, his wife, parents Deshraj Mittal and Bimla Devi, twin daughters aged 13, and 15-year-old son Hardik. They were declared dead on arrival at the hospital. Mittal also succumbed shortly after, despite efforts to save him.
