New Delhi: A day after the bodies of three people were found in a car parked on the Peeragarhi flyover in Outer Delhi, the police on Monday detained a “tantrik” occult practitioner. According to the investigators, his “miraculous” financial promises and a trail of mysteriously deceased clients have made him the prime suspect in what investigators are treating as a potential ritualistic mass suicide or cold-blooded murder.
Passersby noticed a white Tata Tigor on service Lane
On Sunday afternoon, passersby noticed a white Tata Tigor parked ominously in the service lane of the Peeragarhi flyover. Inside, police found three dead bodies. The police identified the deceased as Randhir (76), a property businessman, slumped in the driver’s seat. They also found Ram Naresh/Shivnaresh (47), who is also in the property business, in the front passenger seat and Lakshmi (40), a caregiver from West Delhi, in the rear seat.
Beside the bodies lay three liquor bottles and three used disposable glasses. Notably, there were no signs of a struggle or external injuries, leading forensic teams to suspect death by poisoning.
Investigation quickly centred on a self-styled “baba”
The investigation quickly centred on a self-styled “baba” after CCTV footage captured him sitting in the front seat of the Tigor alongside the deceased earlier that day. Unlike typical godmen, the suspect reportedly leads a seemingly mundane life with a wife and family, avoiding the traditional robes or appearance associated with occultists.
However, his criminal record tells a different story. Police sources reveal that the man has been linked to multiple past cases where clients died under “mysterious circumstances.” In each instance, he allegedly evaded the law due to a lack of evidence.
The lure of quick wealth
Investigators believe the trio was ensnared by the baba’s promise of “doubling or multiplying” their money through occult rituals. It is suspected that Lakshmi, who had a prior acquaintance with the practitioner, introduced the two businessmen to him in hopes of financial gain.
Timeline of the final hours
Based on CCTV tracking and technical surveillance, police have reconstructed the victims’ final journey on Sunday.
10:30 AM: The three victims meet in the Peeragarhi area.
Late Morning: They drive toward Northeast Delhi, where they pick up the tantrik.
The Meeting: The baba spends a “considerable period” inside the car with the victims, seated next to Randhir.
3:00 PM: The car returns to the Peeragarhi flyover area. Shortly thereafter, the three were found dead, and the baba had vanished from the scene.
Murder or suicide?
While the autopsy report is still awaited to confirm the exact toxin used, the Delhi Police are probing the case from suicide and murder angles.
As the “ordinary” baba remains in custody, investigators are scanning his past dealings and further CCTV footage to determine if this was a ritual gone wrong or a calculated execution on one of Delhi’s busiest transit points.