The North News
Panckula, May 27
What does it take for an entire family — three generations — to sit together in a car, lock the doors, consume poison, and wait to die? In Panchkula’s Sector 27, seven members of a family — Praveen Mittal, his wife, their children, and his elderly parents — did just that. Their silent deaths have made a noisy entry into public consciousness. But for how long? This was not a single moment of despair — it was a long, slow erosion of hope.
The case has brought attention to the long trail of financial hardship faced by Praveen Mittal, who originally hailed from Barwala in Hisar district. He had previously operated a scrap business in Panchkula but reportedly accrued heavy losses, leading to mounting debts.
According to his maternal cousin Sandeep Aggarwal, Praveen was under immense pressure. “He shifted to Dehradun nearly five years ago after disappearing from Panchkula. At that time, his debt had reached ₹20 crore,” Aggarwal told reporters. “He had stopped contacting anyone. The threats to his life due to non-payment of loans forced him to uproot and relocate with his family,” he said. The family later moved to Kharar in Mohali, and more recently, had been residing near Saketri village in Panchkula. Mittal had taken up driving a taxi to support his family. According to Aggarwal, the suicide note left behind specifically requests him to perform the cremation rites.
Police say the deaths appear to be a collective suicide, potentially triggered by severe financial distress. A suicide note recovered from the vehicle has added to the theory that the family was grappling with a crippling debt of ₹20 crore.
The family had reportedly travelled to Panchkula to attend a Hanumant Katha organised by Bageshwar Dham. They were on their return journey when the tragedy occurred. The car was found locked from the inside, and initial forensic reports indicate the use of poison. Police officials have confirmed that further chemical analysis is underway.
Senior police officers, including Panchkula DCP Himadri Kaushik and DCP (Law and Order) Amit Dahiya, visited the scene. A forensic team collected samples, and the car was taken for further examination.
Police sources confirm that the note refers to unbearable financial burdens, mental anguish, and an inability to find a way forward. However, officials maintain that the investigation is still ongoing and that they are exploring all possible angles, including whether the family had been coerced or threatened.
The incident has raised urgent questions about the psychological and social impact of unregulated lending and economic collapse.
