New Delhi:**COMBO** In a screengrab from a CCTV camera with a view of the entrance of the Chundawat house is seen members of the family carrying stools , later used in mass hanging which rendered 11 members dead, at Burari area in New Delhi on Wednesday, July 04, 2018. (PTI Photo) (PTI7_4_2018_000239B) The mass suicide by Bhatia family in Delhi’s Burari which shocked the nation is getting more mysterious as the police investigation reveals more details about the incident. More details have now come out in the mysterious deaths of 11 family members in which police have found CCTV footage which shows some members bringing stools and wires that were used for their hanging, even as police recovered 11 diaries that were maintained over a period of 11 years. Even some news reports suggested that the family was disturbed as Priyanka, Lalit Bhatia’s daughter, faced troubles in finding a suitable match for marriage as she was ‘Manglik‘, which adds more to the mystery.
‘Manglik dosh’ disturbed family
Police have also found during investigation, according to Zee News the family’s matriarch Narayan Devi’s 33-year-old granddaughter Priyanka, who got engaged last month and was to be married by the year-end, was a Manglik. The report claims that the family initially faced troubles in finding a suitable match for Priyanka following which Narayan Devi’s son Lalit Bhatia began performing havans at home, which he claimed was also attended by his deceased father. Soon after, the family found a match for Priyanka and their engagement was announced for June 17.
New mysterious revelations
Police during investigation recovered 11 diaries, the content of the diaries matched the way the alleged suicides happened. The diaries had instructions such as “keep water in a cup. When it will change colour, you will be saved”. The diaries had instructions such as “keep water in a cup. When it will change colour, you will be saved”. The family was not expecting to die and thought that “the earth will shake” and “there will be thunder in the sky”, following which they will be saved. The police told PTI that the fact that there were 11 diaries maintained over a period of eleven years is a coincidence and it is not in any way related to the deaths of the 11 family members.
CCTV footages reveals preparations for suicide
The footage of a camera installed outside a house opposite the residence of the family showed the elder daughter-in-law of the house, Savita, along with her daughter, Neetu, bringing five stools that were later used for the members to be hanged. Neetu could be seen in the footage carrying stools accompanied by her mother. Police are now probing from where were the stools brought and what reason did the family give to the person for taking the stools. The family had a plywood business and it is being probed whether the family got the stools from one of its customers.
Family members get wire for hanging
The youngest members of the house, Dhruv and Shivam, around 10.15 pm were seen taking electrical wires from the plywood shop. These wires were used by the 10 members of the family for hanging. Around 10.40 pm, a delivery boy could be seen coming to the house for delivering 20 butter rotis ordered by the family. Around 11 pm, Bhavnesh, the elder son of the family matriarch could be seen taking his dog out for a walk. He later returned to the house around 11.04 pm.
Between 11 pm and 6 am, when a milkman arrived to leave behind milk cartons, no outsider was seen entering the house from the main entrance. Around 7.15 pm, a neighbour went upstairs and found 10 members of the family hanging and the elderly woman lying on the floor.
Preparations began 10 days before hanging
The police investigation also revealed that the preparations for the suicide began at least 10 days before. As per a video footage obtained from a premises opposite the family house, the family bought goods used in rituals, five tables and bandage from shops close to their Burari home.
“The Crime Branch, which is examining the CCTV footage of the last two months, has found couple involved in suspicious activities. The couple was seen carrying goods used in ritual prayers from June 23 to 30. In one of the footage of June 27, Lalit was seen carrying a polybag containing items connected to Vastu Shastra,” a senior police officer told IANS.
The officer further told IANS, “Like his late father Gopaldass, who was in the Indian Army, Lalit gave all family members training in discipline, code of conduct, rehearsals of dos and don’ts during ritual practices. As per an entry in one of the registers seized from the house, he also instructed family members often to stand to position like soldiers after morning prayers for increasing mental strength. As per his mobile phone details, he often watched paranormal and ghost shows on ‘You Tube’ and other Internet platforms.”
The mystery doesn’t end here. Police are investigating the matter more which can reveal more shocking details.