Mother, 2 sons died in Delhi due to crushing debt, say relatives

A family of three in Delhi died by suicide amid financial distress from loans. A suicide note cited joblessness and debt as reasons for their tragic decision.

The family of a 52-year-old woman, who along with her two sons, aged 32 and 27, allegedly died by suicide inside their rented flat in southeast Delhi’s Kalkaji on Friday afternoon, said the woman’s husband had taken loans from around 40 to 50 people, pushing the family into severe financial distress.

Mother, 2 sons died in Delhi due to crushing debt, say relatives

The three were found dead inside the flat when a court-appointed bailiff, accompanied by a legal officer and local police personnel, arrived to execute a court-ordered eviction, police said. When repeated knocks and calls went unanswered, the door was opened using a duplicate key, they added.

“The woman and one of her sons were found in the drawing room, while the elder son was found in a bedroom,” an officer said.

Police recovered a one-and-a-half-page suicide note from the flat, citing prolonged financial distress and depression. According to an officer aware of the matter, the note stated that the two brothers were unable to get jobs, could not earn money, and were therefore unable to repay their debts. The note also mentioned that rent for the Kalkaji flat was paid only initially, after which the family allegedly defaulted.

Police are not examining whether the alleged loans were formal or informal, nor are they probing if any creditors had issued threats, as no such details have been mentioned in the suicide note, they said.

“The landlord, who lives in Mumbai, eventually approached the court seeking possession of the property,” the officer said.

Relatives said they were not closely connected to the family and had limited information about their circumstances. “If a family reaches this point, something has clearly gone very wrong,” said a 42-year-old relative.

The relative added that the woman’s husband had taken small loans from over 40 people. “They were heavily in debt and had taken small amounts from 40–50 people. The sum ranged from ₹5,000 to 10,000,” the relative said.

According to another relative of the woman’s husband, aged 37, the family earlier lived in Nehru Vihar but lost a civil suit over the house they were staying in, following which they moved to rented accommodation. “They cut off ties with everyone. In December 2023, they moved here to Kalkaji,” the relative said.

Police said the woman had been living in near isolation after the death of her husband in 2024. He was a property dealer who had been unwell for several years, including diabetes. Police also learnt that the two sons had allegedly attempted suicide last month as well.

The autopsy was conducted on Saturday, after which the bodies were handed over to the family for last rites, police said.