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The death of 11 members of a family in north Delhi's Burari locality remained shrouded in mystery with the police recovering handwritten notes about "attaining salvation" which fueled rumours and circulation of multiple theories, even as the post-mortem report showed no sign of struggle.
While rumours about the family members being followers of occult circulated after the "salvation" notes surfaced, the police were baffled by the presence of 11 pipes jutting outside a wall of their house.
The police said that initial reports indicate suicide although the matter was being probed. The kin of the deceased, however, claimed that the the family members were killed.
Ten of the 11 members of the Bhatia family were found hanging from an iron-mesh in the ceiling yesterday, while the body of 77-year-old Narayan Devi, the head of the family, was lying on the floor in another room of the house.
The last rites of the victims were held at Nigambodh Ghat on Monday.
Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, Alok Kumar said the autopsy of the 11 bodies had been carried out and initial reports indicate suicide, but the matter is being investigated.
The handwritten notes, found in two registers, have foxed the investigators who said that they have not seen anything like this earlier.
"There is a talk about 'badh tapasya', which indicates that one has to get into a formation like a banyan tree whose branches are hanging. The notes state that by doing this, God would be happy," the officer said.
The notes also stated that the ritual should be performed either on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday.
"It states that on the day of performing the ritual, one won't cook food at home and the phones will be kept on silent mode for six hours. The notes also instructed that one person has to stand guard to ensure that others have hanged themselves," another official privy to the probe said.
The mystery of 11 pipes jutting out from a wall of the house led to many rumours being circulated in the area, even as the police dismissed any link between the pipes and the deaths.
Locals claimed that the 11 pipes were an outlet for "the souls of the deceased".
However, a neighbour said the family, which was into plywood business, had installed the pipes so that toxic fumes from the chemicals applied on plywood could be released through those.
Sujata Nagpal, the daughter of the 77-year-old Narayan Devi found dead on the floor, said that the media was speculating things and circulating suicide theories.
"I used to speak to my mother every alternate day. Everything was going fine within our family. We are a well educated family and do not believe in babas. It is not a case of suicide. The media has been speculating things and publishing wrong information that my family members committed suicide," she said.
Medical Superintendent of LNJP Hospital J C Passey said, "Post-mortem of all the 11 bodies was done by 3 pm. Two boards were formed to expedite the process. The final report has been handed over to the police."
The post-mortem of eight bodies, including the two children and their grandmother, revealed there were no signs of scuffle and they died as a result of hanging, a senior police officer said.
Though it was earlier suspected that Narayan died due to strangulation, the doctors said that she had died due to "partial hanging", a police officer asserted, adding a belt was found hanging from the handle of an almirah near her body.
"From the initial examination, it seems that they all died due to ante-mortem hanging. The final report is awaited," the officer said.
Handwritten notes found at the spot point to a possible suicide pact, carried out in accordance with a religious practice. Some of the notes stated that "one will not die" but attain something "great", he said.
Those found hanging had their mouth taped and their face covered with cloth cut from a single bed sheet. Only Narayan's face was not covered.
The deceased were Narayan Devi, who was found dead on the floor, her daughter Pratibha (57), her two sons Bhavnesh (50) and Lalit Bhatia (45). Bhavnesh's wife Savita (48) and their three children - Meenu (23) and Nidhi (25), and Dhruv, aged 15.
Lalit Bhatia's wife Tina (42) and their 15-year-old son Shivam were also among those found dead. Pratibha's daughter Priyanka (33), who was engaged last month and would have married by the end of this year, was also found hanging. Locals said Meenu was preparing for entrance exams and Nidhi was pursuing her Masters.