New Delhi, Police probing the Peeragarhi “suicide pact” case here have tracked down the man who was captured on CCTV footage sitting in the car dressed as a mystic before three persons were found dead inside the vehicle, with officials hoping that he might be the missing link in the mysterious case.
Police are now probing the role of the man, who had allegedly met the trio on the day of the incident and had also sat in the car, even as forensic and post-mortem reports are awaited to ascertain the exact cause of the deaths.
According to police, a PCR call was received around 3.50 pm on Sunday, reporting that three people were sitting inside a car with its doors locked and they were unresponsive. A police team rushed to the spot near the Peeragarhi flyover, where all three occupants were found dead.
The car was stationary at the spot for around 50 minutes before the PCR call was made.
The deceased have been identified as Randhir and Shiv Naresh Singh , both residents of Baprola, and Laxmi Devi , a resident of Jahangirpuri and a native of Bihar, police said.
Randhir was found seated in the driver’s seat, while Naresh and Laxmi were sitting in the rear seat of the car, officials said, adding that the vehicle belonged to Randhir.
While initial clues pointed towards a possible suicide, with reports suggesting that the trio may have consumed poison-laced soft drink, police said they are now examining other angles, including the role of the man dressed as a mystic.
“The ‘baba’ was seen sitting in the front passenger seat of the car earlier in the day and had interacted with all three, making him a crucial link in the probe. He was in frequent touch with them in the past as well,” a police source said.
The source said that the ‘baba’ and another person have been brought in for questioning, and investigators are trying to establish the nature of his relationship with the deceased.
What has further complicated the case is the relationship of Laxmi Devi with the two men. Police said Randhir and Naresh had been known to each other for the past six years and were partners in property-related work. Both families are also familiar with each other.
However, Laxmi was not known to any of the families of the two men.
Preliminary inquiry has revealed that Naresh and Laxmi were acquainted, and that all three victims were in close contact with the ‘baba’, meeting him multiple times in the past, police said.
Investigators are examining whether the deaths occurred due to poisoning or if any foul play was involved.
“Prima facie, the deaths appear to have occurred due to poison intake, but the exact cause will be clear only after the forensic analysis and post-mortem reports arrive,” an officer said.
Police said Randhir had left his house around 9.30 am on the day of the incident. He later picked up Naresh, who parked his motorcycle at Randhir’s residence and accompanied him in the car. The motorcycle was found parked there even after the incident came to light, police said.
The mobile phones of all three deceased have been seized, and their call records, messages and chats are being scrutinised. CCTV footage along the route taken by the car is also being examined to reconstruct the sequence of events, police added.
Meanwhile, Randhir’s family has rejected any suicide angle, saying he was a cheerful person with no apparent reason to take such an extreme step.
Randhir is survived by his wife, four daughters and grandchildren. His son had died around 20 years ago, and his daughter-in-law and grandchild live with the family. One of his daughters is a widow and also resides with him.
Speaking to reporters, Randhir’s daughter Savita said he had left home in a normal state, as he did every day. “He was absolutely fine when he left. Sometimes he would go out, and at other times he would stay at home and look after things.”
“When I spoke to him on the phone, he said he was at his agricultural field and would return later. There were no signs of any problem. I had seen my father speaking to Naresh earlier, but I had never met the woman. My father had no enmity with anyone. We do not believe this is a case of suicide,” she said.
A cousin of Randhir said he had met him on the road around 9.30 am on the day of the incident. “He told me he was going out for some work, but did not mention where. He was a very nice man and had no enmity with anyone. I don’t think he would have committed suicide,” he said.
Another relative, Harish Kumar, said the family came to know about the incident only after the police reached their house around 5 pm.
“We were then called to the police station and informed that he was found dead in a car along with two others. Naresh was known to the family as they were doing business together, but we don’t know anything about the woman. We don’t believe it is a suicide because he was always happy and had no financial stress,” he said.
He added that Randhir lived with his wife, daughters and grandchildren and had participated in pre-marriage rituals of his grandchild, just four days before the incident, and the wedding was scheduled for March. “We have no suspicion against anyone, but we are certain he would not have taken his own life,” he said.
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