(From left) Pradeep Mathews, Meena Mathews, their mother Agnes Mathews, brother Sanju Mathews, father JJ Mathews, Beena Mathews and Jaya Mathews
AMN / FARIDABAD
Four members of a family were found dead under mysterious circumstances in Faridabad’s Surajkund on Saturday morning. The incident was reported from Dayalbagh area of the city after an alarm of foul smell from the house was raised by the neighbours.
The bodies of the family members were recovered in a deteriorated condition.
The police have recovered a suicide note, in which they have blamed financial woes and the recent deaths of their mother and a younger brother as reasons for taking the extreme step.
The deceased were identified as Meena Mathew (42), Beena Mathews, (40) Jaya Mathews (39) and their brother Pradeep Mathews (37), who had hanged themselves a few days ago.
As per the reports, their father had expired a few years ago, while the mother had passed away five months back.
Forensic experts had visited the sport post the incident and the police have begun investigations into the matter.
“A call was received around 10.30 on Saturday morning, complaining of a smell from one of the flats in Dayal Bagh. I went to the spot with my team and found the complaint to be credible, so I called the crime and FSL teams and we broke down the door,” said sub-inspector Randhir Singh, who is in-charge of Dayal Bagh police post.
“We found the bodies of four people — three women and one man — hanging from the ceiling fans. A suicide note was also found in the house,” he said.
Police said the note had the names and signatures of all four, and mentioned how their personal losses had made them feel “alone”.
“Their mother used to work at a hotel and had retired recently. She died five months ago. Their brother, Sanju, also died of an illness a few weeks later. Their father had died earlier,” said Sube Singh, PRO of Faridabad police.
“The family was also cash-strapped. It appears that none of the four siblings were employed. In the suicide note, they requested that their debts be repaid using the items at home, and whatever extra cash is left be given as donation to the father and sister at a church, who had also helped them,” said Singh.
Police said the note also mentioned two people from the dialysis department of QRG hospital, and added that the family’s motorcycle be given to a friend of their dead brother, who had also supported them.
“In the note, they thanked everyone who helped and supported them, and requested that their last rites be carried out at the Burari cemetery,” said PRO Singh.
“Their bodies have been sent to BK Hospital for post-mortem, after which the remains will be handed over to the church for their last rites. The matter appears to be a case of suicide, but further investigations are being conducted,” he said.
Behind extreme step, personal loss mixed with financial crunch
Over the last six months, Upendra has attended the funerals of three members of the Mathews family. On Sunday, he will attend four more.
It was seven years ago that he first got to know the family, when they were still living in quarters provided by hotel Raj Hans, where both parents, JJ Mathews and Agnes Mathews, worked.
According to the suicide note, the family members have expressed the desire of burial in cremation ground at Burari in Delhi.