Suicide pact? Couple, 14-year-old daughter found dead at home in outer Delhi
A married couple and their 14-year-old daughter were found dead at their home in outer Delhi’s Rajiv Nagar Extension near Begampur on Sunday morning. A suicide note was recovered from Rajesh Gupta’s pocket. The note said that the three willingly entered into a suicide pact and nobody should be blamed for their extreme step.
A married couple and their 14-year-old daughter were found dead under mysterious circumstances at their rented home in outer Delhi’s Rajiv Nagar Extension near Begampur on Sunday morning.
While the bodies of the woman and her daughter were found on the bed with strangulation marks, the husband was found hanging with an iron rod fitted in the room ceiling.
A purported suicide note, apparently written by the man, identified as Rajesh Gupta, was found in his pocket. The note said that the three willingly entered into a suicide pact and nobody should be blamed for their extreme step. It also requested the police not to harass anybody, said a senior police officer.
The preliminary probe into the incident hinted that Gupta allegedly strangled his wife, Uma , and daughter, Shweta, before hanging himself. The room in which they were found dead was locked from inside, said police. Though senior police officers do not suspect any foul play, they claimed they will reach to a conclusion only after the autopsy reports are out.
MN Tiwari, deputy commissioner of police (Rohini), said that the incident came to light around 9.15am when Gupta’s neighbours found his home locked and none of the three was responding to their phone calls. Gupta used to wake up early and finish morning prayers before 8am every day. But when they remained indoor till 9am, the neighbours became worried and asked Babloo, who lives with his family on first floor, to check on the family.
“The room was locked when I came down. The door opened when I pushed it with some force. I was shocked to see Gupta uncle hanging and his wife and daughter lying unconscious on the bed,” said Babloo, who alerted neighbours and one of them called the police control room.
A police team arrived and broke open the main door. The three were rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors pronounced them dead on admission. Police claim that the incident must have taken place in the night. The exact reason behind the deaths could not be ascertained till Sunday night.
“The note did not have any details that could reveal that the family members, Gupta in particular, were under stress or facing financial crisis,” said an investigator.
Their relatives and neighbours also claimed that there was nothing among the family members that could have forced Gupta to allegedly kill his wife and daughter and then commit suicide.
A native of Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh, Gupta moved to Delhi for livelihood some twelve years ago. He initially worked as a taxi driver but later purchased a tempo and ferried goods.
“After my brother-in-law had an accident few months ago, he employed a driver. There was no financial crisis in the family as my brother-in-law earned not less than Rs20,000 every month after clearing all expenses,” said Gupta’s relative Keshav Gupta.
No case was registered till Sunday evening.