In a deeply disturbing incident, seven members of a family from Dehradun were found dead inside a locked car in Panchkula’s Sector 27 early Tuesday. Police suspect the family entered a suicide pact driven by mounting financial stress.

The deceased have been identified as Praveen Mittal, 42, his wife, parents, and three children—two daughters and a son. Authorities believe the group traveled to Panchkula on Monday to attend a Hanuman Katha, a religious event held at Bageshwar Dham, reported the Times of India.

After the program, the family reportedly chose to end their lives instead of returning home. Locals spotted the family struggling inside the parked car and alerted emergency services by dialing 112. Responding officers forced open the vehicle’s doors and rushed the unconscious victims to a private hospital and the Panchkula civil hospital. All seven were declared dead on arrival.

A suicide note was recovered from the scene, and initial findings point to heavy unpaid debts as a likely motive. Police have not yet disclosed the contents of the note, the report added.

The bodies have been sent to a private hospital mortuary for postmortem examination. A crime scene team and forensic experts are assisting in the ongoing investigation.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by our editors.