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New Delhi: The city Police has launched a probe into the deaths of a man and his four daughters in southwest Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area. According to police, there could be a possibility of an ‘occult angle’ to this case. The police also said that to understand this connection, they are going to study the 2018 Burari suicide case for parallels, as the mysterious circumstances surrounding the recent deaths have raised concerns.
Delhi's Murder-Suicide Case
Heera Lal Sharma, a 55-year-old carpenter, and his four daughters, identified as Neetu (26), Nikki (24), Neeru (23), and Nidhi (20), were found dead in their rented flat on Friday afternoon. The initial probe suggested that the family may have taken their lives in a suicide pact. A box of sweets was also recovered from the scene. Moreover, a red thread was also discovered tied around their waist, hands, and necks of the four daughters, news agency PTI reported.
According to police, Sharma had been struggling emotionally and financially since the death of his wife from cancer last year. After her passing, the family became isolated from the community. The police officer told PTI, "So far, we have learned that Sharma had not spoken to anyone in the last nine months. He and his daughters were rarely seen outside. After his wife's death, the family had disconnected from everyone."
Also Read: 5 Glasses, ‘Poison-Laced’ Spoon: Delhi Man, Specially-Abled Daughters End Lives In Vasant Kunj Area
Delhi Burari Case
In the 2018 Burari case, the 11 members of a family were found blindfolded, with their mouths taped shut, and hanging in their home. The case shook the nation, as evidence suggested the family had followed rituals for several days before their deaths, motivated by delusions of supernatural salvation, the PTI report added. A senior police official said, ”Our teams will check the records of the Burari case to connect the dots of this suicide,” quoted PTI.
Also Read: ‘After Mother’s Demise…’: Father-Daughters’ Death Is Haunting Reminder Of Delhi’s Burari Mass Suicide Case
Why Police Want To Study Burari Case?
Sharma, who worked as a carpenter at the Indian Spinal Injury Centre for 28 years, had not been to work since January. Police recovered three packets of Celphos, a highly toxic poison, in the apartment, along with five glasses and a spoon containing a suspicious liquid. His body was found in one room, while his daughters were discovered in another. Officials said there were no external injury marks on the bodies, and forensic teams are also examining the poison to determine if it caused the deaths.
The PTI report added that investigating officers also recovered CCTV footage showing Sharma entering the house with a packet in hand two days before the bodies were found. After Sharma's brother, Mohan, and sister-in-law, Gudiya were informed of the incident, they immediately arrived at the spot.
They revealed that Sharma had been depressed since his wife's passing and had devoted himself to caring for his daughters, two of whom were reportedly differently-abled.
According to DCP (Southwest), Rohit Meena, the postmortems will be conducted on Monday by a medical board. Meena said, "We will be able to tell the actual reason for death after the postmortem. We have formed multiple teams to find the reason behind the suicide. We are also checking CCTV footage of the area and adjoining areas to know who Sharma had last spoken to and if he had shared anything with them. We are also checking the mobile phone records of all the victims to know if they were in contact with anyone," as quoted by PTI.