Delhi triple 'suicide' mystery: CCTV shows trio met a 'baba' before parking car near flyover

• Three people found dead in a car on Peeragarhi flyover, Delhi
• Police suspect poisoning; occult practitioner detained for questioning
• Families reject suicide theory, allege foul play in the deaths

Did our AI summary help?

Delhi police are investigating the mysterious deaths of three individuals found inside a parked car on the city’s Peeragarhi flyover, with the detention of a self-styled occult practitioner forming a central, puzzling strand of the enquiry.

The bodies of two men and a woman were discovered in a white Tata Tigor in the service lane of the flyover around 3.50 pm on Sunday, after alert passing motorists notified authorities. The vehicle had been stationed at the location for nearly five hours prior to the grim discovery, with no witnesses reporting anyone else approaching it.

The deceased have been identified as Randhir, 76, the car’s owner who was in the driver’s seat; Shiv Naresh, 47, a property dealer in the passenger seat; and Laxmi, 40, who was seated in the rear.

According to police sources, the trio were acquainted for a long period. Randhir and Shiv Naresh, both residents of Baprola village, were involved in real estate, while Laxmi, from Jahangirpuri, worked in home care services for the elderly in west Delhi and was known to Shiv Naresh.

Investigators revealed that CCTV footage indicates the three travelled from Peeragarhi via Ring Road to northeast Delhi around 10.30 am on Sunday, where they met with a man referred to as a ‘baba’ or ‘tantrik’. They returned to the Peeragarhi area by approximately 3 pm, HT reported.

The practitioner has since been taken into custody from northeast Delhi and is undergoing intensive questioning, though police confirmed he was not present at the scene where the bodies were found.

A senior police officer reportedly stated they are still investigating a suicide as well as a foul play angle as they are not sure what happened. A second officer connected to the case confirmed that allegations of extortion and blackmail are also being examined.

The initial scene presented a confounding lack of clarity. Police reported no visible external injuries or signs of struggle on the bodies, with vomit stains observed on the faces of Shiv Naresh and Laxmi. Within the vehicle, officers recovered three liquor bottles and three used disposable glasses. A plastic bottle and some glasses with suspected traces of poison were also found, a senior officer said.

Medical examination offered preliminary indications. Doctors suggested the victims died after ingesting poison, according to a police officer. While post-mortem examinations for Randhir and Shiv Naresh are complete, Laxmi’s remains pending. Viscera samples from the two men have been preserved for chemical analysis, with Laxmi’s to follow, to conclusively determine if any substance was consumed.

In a stark contrast to the suicide theory, the families of the two men have vehemently rejected the possibility of self-harm and alleged foul play. The daughter of Randhir was cited by HT as saying that everything was normal on the day of the incident, citing no financial or family issues and insisting her father would never have taken his own life.

The brother of Shiv Naresh, who was the sole breadwinner for his family of five, was equally adamant, asserting his belief that his brother was killed.