In a heartbreaking incident that has sent shockwaves across the city, a family of seven was found dead in a parked car in Panchkula’s Sector 27 on Tuesday morning, in what police are investigating as a case of suicide.

As per the details shared by the District Police, the deceased have been identified as Praveen Mittal, his wife Reena, mother Vimla, father Deshraj, twin daughters Dhruvika and Dalisha, 11, and son Hardik, 14. The preliminary cause of death appears to be poisoning.

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While the exact reasons are still being probed, early indications point toward financial difficulties and personal stress as potential factors. The note reportedly mentions an unbearable burden and no way forward, though investigators are verifying the authenticity and contents of the letter.

Police said that Praveen Mittal was running a travel and tour business in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. He suffered significant financial losses, and this might have led him to take the extreme step along with his family.

According to police, all seven were found inside the same car, whose rear windshield was covered with a towel. Additional Commissioner of Police Vikram Nehra said that when the victims were shifted to a nearby hospital, only the children’s father was breathing, who died during treatment.

DCP, Panchkula, Himadri Kaushik said that prima facie it looks like a matter of suicide. All the investigating officers are at the spot. The financial debt and psychological issues that the family was facing have come up. All angles are being looked into, said the officer.

Police said to have recovered a two-page note from the car in which all seven were found. “I have gone bankrupt. I am responsible for all this. My father-in-law should not be harassed. The last rites of my family members shall be performed by my cousin,” Praveen Mittal said in the note, as revealed by the local police.

The bodies were taken to the Civil Hospital in Sector 6 for the post-mortem examinations. Police are also speaking with neighbours and relatives to build a complete picture of the family’s circumstances in the days leading up to the incident.

Neighbours described the family as “quiet and reserved,” and said that there were no outward signs of distress. The local community and school authorities, especially those connected with the children, are reportedly devastated.