A day after three people were found dead inside a parked car on the Peeragarhi flyover in outer Delhi, police on Monday said they had questioned a self-styled “baba” as part of their investigation and were probing a possible link between the deceased. Investigators have also found preliminary evidence suggesting poisoning may have caused the deaths.
The bodies were discovered on Sunday around 3:50 pm after passing motorists alerted police about a white Tata Tigor parked on the service lane of the flyover. Inside the vehicle were two men — a 76-year-old found in the driver’s seat and a 47-year-old property dealer in the front passenger seat — along with a 40-year-old woman seated in the rear.
Police said the car belonged to the elderly man and that both men were residents of Baprola village and knew each other. However, investigators initially struggled to establish a connection between the men and the woman. On Monday, senior officers said they had learned that the woman, a resident of Jahangirpuri, worked as a caregiver in west Delhi and was acquainted with the 47-year-old man. Further details were not disclosed.
As part of the probe, police questioned at least five people, including the baba. “They met a baba on the morning before the incident. We are not certain whether he travelled in the car. He was not present near the crime scene,” a police officer said.
There were no visible external injuries or signs of a struggle on the bodies, prompting investigators to suspect suicide by poisoning. While post-mortem reports are still awaited, police recovered a plastic bottle and drinking glasses containing traces of poison from the car.
A second officer involved in the investigation said preliminary medical examination indicated that the victims died after ingesting poison.
Despite these findings, several questions remain unanswered, including the sequence of events leading to the deaths and the motive. Investigators said the car had been parked on the flyover for nearly five hours, and no one was seen approaching it during that time.
“We are examining both suicide and foul play angles. At this stage, nothing can be ruled out,” a senior police officer said. Another officer added that allegations of extortion and blackmail were also being investigated.
Police have spoken to family members, neighbours and associates of the two men, but so far have not received any leads that clarify the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Meanwhile, the families of the two men have rejected the suicide theory and alleged foul play. Speaking to HT, the daughter of the 76-year-old said there were no financial or family issues. “Everything was normal that day. My father would never have taken such a step,” she said.
The family of the 47-year-old echoed similar concerns. His brother said, “He was the sole breadwinner for our family of five. I am certain someone killed my brother.”
Police said the investigation is ongoing and further clarity is expected after the autopsy reports are received.
