Business ruin, years spent evading creditors: What led to Panchkula mass suicide

India Today

27-05-2025

Seven members of a family from Dehradun were found dead, with six bodies found inside a parked car, in Panchkula on Tuesday morning. Police suspect mass suicide by poisoning, driven by severe financial distress. The deceased, identified as Praveen Mittal (42), his parents, wife, and three minor children, had reportedly consumed poison inside the vehicle after attending a religious event in the city.advertisementPraveen Mittal, who was in debt, was working as a taxi driver. The family had been living in near anonymity after leaving Dehradun and moving across cities due to constant harassment from creditors. The car in which the bodies were found was under someone else's name.KEY DETAILS OF PANCHKULA MASS SUICIDE CASE
All seven members of the Mittal family were discovered dead inside a Hyundai Aura car parked in Panchkula's Sector 27. The vehicle had its windows covered and vomit was found inside, pointing to suspected poisoning. A towel draped over the car had initially raised suspicion among locals.
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Praveen Mittal, originally from Barwala in Hisar, had been shifting locations to escape financial and legal trouble. After his scrap factory in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, was seized by the bank, the family moved to Dehradun in 2020, cutting contact with almost everyone for nearly five years.
Once a businessman, Praveen had run up debts of over Rs 20 crore. His assets, including two flats, multiple vehicles, and his factory, were all seized by bank. The family allegedly faced repeated threats from creditors.
In recent years, Praveen was making ends meet by driving a taxi. The car in which the family died was financed under the name of a Dehradun resident, G S Negi, whom Praveen had met through NGO work. Negi confirmed that the vehicle was financed for Praveen's use when the latter could no longer take loans in his own name.
According to sources, Praveen Mittal and his family had come to attend the Bageshwar Dham event in Panchkula. Eyewitness Puneet Rana said the family told him they couldn't find a hotel and planned to sleep in the car. Hours later, the same vehicle became the site of tragedy.
Puneet Rana, who first spotted the car, recalled pulling Praveen out of it. 'I have also consumed poison, we are drowning in debt,' Rana recounted Puneet's last words.
One of the suicide notes found at the scene was addressed to Praveen's cousin, Sandeep Aggarwal, requesting him to perform his last rites. Sandeep revealed that he had spoken to Praveen just five days ago and was unaware of the family's immediate plan, though he knew of their financial woes.
advertisementAfter Dehradun, the family had recently moved to a rented place near Saketadi village in Panchkula. Before that, they were briefly living in Kharar, Mohali. They moved around frequently and kept a low-profile.
Panchkula Police have formed five teams and are probing various aspects, including financial records, phone calls, and social media accounts. One team has been sent to Dehradun to verify information related to the car and the family's time there.
'This is a very unfortunate incident. Initial investigation points to suicide. Vomit and food were found in the car. We've constituted five teams and are probing from seven to eight angles,' said DCP Amit Dahiya in a press briefing.
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