New Delhi: A 50-year-old man and his four daughters, all with disabilities, were tragically found dead in their home in Rangpuri, southwest Delhi. CCTV footage from September 24 shows Hira Lal carrying a blue polythene packet, in which there is a box of sweets. The box has been recovered at home and has been sent for forensic investigation.
The footage has raised suspicions that Hira Lal may have poisoned the sweets before offering them to his daughters. In another video, he is seen leaving the house with a box of sweets.
The victims have been identified as Hira Lal, a carpenter, and his daughters-Neetu (18), Nishi (15), Neeru (10), and Nidhi (8). When police arrived, they found the four daughters lying in the house, each wearing kalawa, a sacred red and yellow thread, around their necks and wrists. Hira Lal was later discovered to have consumed poison.
Authorities also found Salphaz tablets, typically used for treating bacterial infections, in the house. According to police, Hira Lal had been living alone with his daughters since his wife's death a year ago. Each daughter had a disability: Neetu was visually impaired, and Nishi had mobility issues, while the conditions of the other two are still being investigated.
On Friday, police found the door to the family's home locked from the inside. With help from the Delhi Fire Service, they forced the door open and discovered all five bodies inside. The daughters were located in a bedroom, while Hira Lal was found in another room. All five were foaming at the mouth.
Pouches containing a poisonous substance were located near the bodies, alongside tetra packs of juice and a water bottle discarded in the dustbin. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.