Mystery shrouds Burari deaths as police recover 'salvation' notes, kin allege foul play

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 this evening.

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."