Faridabad suicide: Dad holds 4 sons close till train crushes them all, bought them chips and drinks moments before tragedy

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A 36-year-old man named Manoj Mehto ended his life and that of his four young sons by stepping in front of an express train on Tuesday afternoon in Ballabhgarh, Faridabad, The Times of India reported.

The children, aged between three and nine years, were forced to stand on the railway tracks by their father, who held them tightly by their arms as the Golden Temple Express approached. According to the eyewitnesses, the children pleaded with him to let them go, but he refused.

"The train, which was coming from Mumbai, crushed them under its wheels around 1.10 pm on Tuesday," TOI quoted Rajpal, the SHO of the Govt Railway Police unit, as saying.

Earlier that day, Manoj, a daily wage worker originally from Bihar, had told his wife Priya that he was taking the children to a nearby park to play. He left their home near Subhash Colony around 12.15 pm.

Instead of heading to a park, Manoj took his sons to the railway tracks near Elson Chowk flyover. He sat with them under the flyover for nearly an hour, even buying them chips and soft drinks while they waited.

After the incident, the loco pilot alerted authorities at Ballabhgarh station. Police identified Manoj through his Aadhaar card and found his wife's phone number scribbled on a chit in his pocket, indicating his actions were premeditated.

“At first, we were told that a woman and her children had jumped in front of the train. But when we reached the spot, we discovered it was a father and his sons,” a Government Railway Police (GRP) official was quoted by TOI as saying.

When contacted, Priya told the police she believed her husband had taken the children to the park and would return soon. She collapsed when she reached the scene and saw their bodies. The remains were sent to Badshah Khan Civil Hospital for autopsy.

Police are now trying to understand what drove Manoj to take such a drastic step. Though there are reports of marital issues, officials have not confirmed if that was a contributing factor. “We are focusing on understanding his mental state and what circumstances led to this tragic act. Supporting the grieving family is also a priority,” said a senior police officer.