A 22-year-old man killed his parents and elder brother in their house in south Delhi's Maidangarhi area, police said on Wednesday, adding that he has been absconding since the incident.
The accused, identified as Siddharth, is suspected to have some mental health issues and police said they have recovered documents and medicines showing he has been under psychiatric treatment for the past 12 years at multiple mental health institutions.
The deceased were identified as Prem Singh (around 45-50), his wife Rajani (40-45) and their elder son Ritik (24), police said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Ankit Chauhan said police received a PCR call about the incident around noon. A team from Maidangarhi police station rushed to the spot and, on entering the premises, found Prem and Ritik lying in a pool of blood on the ground floor. Rajani's body was discovered on the first floor.
"The crime and forensic teams were called in for inspection. The scene was preserved, evidence collected, and photographs of the bodies taken before further medico-legal formalities," the DCP said.
According to preliminary probe, Siddharth, the couple's younger son, was missing. Further inquiry revealed that he had been undergoing psychiatric treatment and allegedly told someone that he had killed all three of his family members and that he "would not stay here anymore", police said.
Treatment documents and medications belonging to Siddharth were discovered during a search of the house. Police claimed the records showed he was undergoing treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and "aggressive behaviour" for more than a decade.
"His history of psychiatric treatment suggests long-standing behavioural issues," a senior officer said.
Enquiries also indicate that he had strained relations with his family due to his condition, he added.
The officer said the house has been secured and the bodies sent for post-mortem. A case of murder has been registered, and multiple teams are working to trace Siddharth.
Neighbours expressed shock over the triple murder.
"Three members of a family of four have been murdered. As for the whereabouts of the fourth member, only the police can provide information. The family often had conflicts due to the father's alcoholism," said Mohammad Shakeel Khan, a lawyer by profession.
"Whether he (Siddharth) is involved in the murders or not can only be determined after a thorough police investigation," Khan said.
Mukesh Tiwari, a neighbour, described the family as "quiet and decent".
"They seemed like decent people, at least from what I know. It was a family matter, and we weren't very close. I got to know about it around 2:30 pm. It was a family of four — husband, wife and two children," he said.
Tiwari said Siddharth had mental health issues and had even run away from home "two or three times, but eventually returned". "The rest of the family had jobs; they were decent, working people and were never involved in any scuffles." Police said investigations are underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the killings. Police teams are scanning CCTV footage from the area, questioning relatives and neighbours, and have also alerted other states to trace Siddharth.
"The accused's mental health condition will also form a key part of the investigation. We are looking into all angles, including family disputes, mental health history and motive," the DCP said.
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