Panchkula, May 27 (IANS) As the Haryana Police investigate the shocking death of seven members of a family found in a car in Panchkula, area resident Puneet Rana has come forward with a chilling account of his final moments with victim Praveen Mittal, who confessed to taking poison along with his family and stated that he would die within minutes.

The incident, which has sent shockwaves through the region, is being treated by police as a case of collective suicide, allegedly triggered by financial distress. Among the dead are Praveen Mittal and his father, Deshraj Mittal.

Rana recounted his encounter with Praveen Mittal in vivid detail. “The car was parked near our house. It had luggage tied on top, so we went to check. When we looked inside, we saw people lying down. We asked them why they were lying like that. They told us they were just sleeping because they hadn’t found a hotel yet after returning from a dham.”

Rana said he asked them to move the car and park it in the nearby market.

“They agreed and started to move the car. But then I noticed a strange smell coming from inside. I told them to wait. I turned on my torch and looked closely – they were lying on top of each other. Something felt wrong. I called the police immediately,” he added.

“I shook the children, but they didn’t respond. The boy was already dead. Behind him, others were lying motionless. One man, presumably Praveen, was still conscious and said, ‘I will be dying in five minutes.’ And within minutes, he collapsed.”

According to Rana, signs of vomiting in the vehicle indicated the possibility that poison was consumed with food.

“He (Praveen) said they had taken poison. He mentioned heavy debts from banks and that no family member helped them, so they decided to end their lives.”

However, the Mittal family disapprove of the financial distress claim. Praveen Mittal’s relatives have insisted that there was no undue pressure from creditors. They are also seeking the suicide note from the police.

Praveen Mittal’s nephew, Ankit Mittal, dismissed the financial crisis theory, noting that although Praveen Mittal had faced setbacks in the past, including a business loss around 2007, there had been no recent indications of any acute financial trouble.

While the preliminary findings suggest suicide, the police have launched a thorough investigation to confirm the circumstances and motives behind the tragedy.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Panchkula, Himadri Kaushik, who visited the scene, confirmed the deaths and the ongoing probe.

“We received information that six individuals had been brought to Ojas Hospital. They were declared dead on arrival. Another was taken to the Civil Hospital, Sector 6, but was also declared dead. Prima facie, it appears to be a suicide case. All deceased are members of the same family,” she said.

According to investigators, Praveen Mittal had been running a tour and travel business in Dehradun and reportedly faced substantial financial losses. This, the police suggest, may have led to the mass suicide.

–IANS

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