PANCHKULA: “Aise nahi ghabrana chahiye. Achhe, bure din to sab par aate hain.” The words of an elderly man trying to comfort 42-year-old Praveen Mittal moments before he collapsed outside his car now echo hauntingly across Panchkula’s Sector 27.
Mittal, visibly distressed, was seated near his vehicle — inside which six members of his family, including his wife, parents, and three children, lay dead. The brief interaction with the local resident turned out to be his final moment of consciousness. He collapsed soon after and was declared dead at the hospital.
The discovery was made by residents, who initially believed the family was resting in the car after attending a religious event. A few hours later, signs of vomiting and unresponsiveness raised alarm. The police were called and a massive tragedy unfolded.
According to officials, a suicide note recovered from the scene — allegedly written by Praveen — claimed full responsibility for the deaths, citing crushing financial pressure and clearing anyone else of blame.
The sequence of events leading up to the deaths has left the neighbourhood stunned, with residents recalling how ordinary the family seemed when they arrived in the area the night before. That Praveen was quietly sitting beside his car even after the death of his entire family has added a harrowing dimension to the incident.
According to family's relatives, the Mittals had moved to Saketri a few months ago. Rakesh, father of Reena Mittal (Parveen’s wife), revealed that the family had been struggling with debts amounting to several crores, which had taken a toll on their well-being. Parveen was operating a taxi business at the time.
Sandeep Aggarwal, a relative, disclosed that the family had previously abandoned assets — including apartments, a car, and a factory in Baddi — when they left Panchkula about nine years ago. He added that the family originally came from Hisar and had been under immense financial pressure, reportedly owing between Rs 15–20 crore and receiving threats related to the debt.
Punit Rana, who first spotted the car parked outside his house in sector 25, said, "I saw them sleeping in the car. They told me they are returning from Bageshwar Dham event in Sector 5. They did not find hotel, so sleeping here. I told them to go somewhere else. After sometime when I checked the car, they all gad vomited on one another. I asked driver, Praveen Mittal, what has happened. He told me they were debt and no one helped them so they are dying."