New Delhi, Jul 1: Seven years after the mysterious deaths of 11 family members inside their home in north Delhi’s Burari on July 1, 2018, life in the neighbourhood has seemingly returned to normal. Coaching centres and shops operate as usual, yet the building, which once captured national headlines and inspired numerous theories, still draws quiet glances and recognition from passersby.
“Sometimes, students, especially girls from the nearby academies, point to the building, stop for a moment, speak in whispers, get scared, and then turn away,” Madan, an ironing shop worker who has lived in the area for nearly two decades, said.
Ten of the 11 members of the Chundawat family were found hanging from an iron mesh in the ceiling, 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.
Devi's daughter Pratibha (57) and her two sons, Bhavnesh (50) and Lalit (45), were among the deceased. Bhavnesh's wife Savita (48) and their three children—Maneka (23), Neetu (25), and Dhirendra (15)—were also found dead. Lalit Bhatia's wife Tina (42) and their 15-year-old son Dushyant were among those who died. Pratibha's daughter Priyanka, who had gotten engaged in June 2018, was also found hanging.
The police tried their hand at everything, including the occult, psychology, superstition and used the latest investigative techniques to crack one of the most sensational cases in the national capital.
A senior officer, involved in the investigation of the case, stated, "When the bodies were found, the district police initially registered a murder case. However, when family members were questioned, no motive was discovered. Then the registers were uncovered, and gradually the mystery began to unravel."
He added that it was a challenging case since authorities had to go through eight registers filled with detailed entries made over a period of 11 years about a set of rituals on how to replicate 'badh tapasya' a banyan tree formation.
The factor that seems to grab the most eyeballs in this case is that of Lalit Chundawat allegedly being 'visited' by his dead father, who dictated instructions for the family.
"In 2006, his father had passed away and a few months after his death, Lalit met with an accident and lost his voice. He appeared to have gained his voice back after some time and started believing that he was being visited by his father. He would give sermons to his family members who would make the notes in those registers," the officer recalled.
This discovery led to widespread media attention, speculation, and multiple investigations. A psychological autopsy revealed that none of the family members had any intention of taking their own lives; rather, it was an accident that occurred during a ritual that went wrong.
Monica, a teacher at an academy directly across from the Chundawat residence, noted that while the fear surrounding the house has subsided, some rare instances of superstition still persist.
“Everything's calm now, but there are still a few superstitious parents. They link minor illnesses, like headaches or stomachaches, to the building. One student missed class for a few days, and when she returned, she told me her mother had taken her to a spiritual guru instead of a doctor. The guru supposedly said that a spirit might still be around because of what happened there."
Remembering the family, Madan, who briefly rented the shop space below the house after the police released it, said they were seen around the lane daily.
“The kids played cricket here and would run back the moment their mother called without any arguments or fuss. The grandmother, Narayan Devi, would often sit beside me and chat. I spoke to her the day before it happened. Nothing seemed off,” he recalled.
Residents remember that Narayan Devi used to visit the nearby Ram temple daily. “She would come in the morning, sit there for a while, speak to a few people and leave,” a local told PTI, adding that she was soft-spoken, and the entire family was well-regarded in society.
Devi, a domestic helper who has been working in the area for a long time, said the family had always been generous.
“I used to go to their shop for milk every day. Even when I did not have money, they would still give me a milk packet. They were one of the best families here, very friendly,” she said.
The Chundawat family's shop, which stocked everyday essentials, stood out for its simplicity.
“They did not sell cigarettes. They were respectful, and they trusted people. If someone didn’t have money, they still gave them what was needed,” recalled another local.
Monica’s colleague briefly taught Dushyant and Dhirendra, both 15, who were among the family members who died.
“They were bright, cheerful, and respectful. It’s still difficult to believe something like that could happen to such sweet kids,” she said. “The rest of the family, except Lalit, used to interact with us. There was nothing odd about them, just a quiet, helpful family,” she added.
Conspiracy theorists continue to post content about it, and even now, occasional visitors stop by to ask about the location. “Someone came even last month,” a local shopkeeper said. “They even asked us if this was the same house."
Back in 2018, Madan was among the few who offered assistance to the grieving kin. “After the police left, people were too scared to go near the place. I went along with a Sikh neighbour and his son. We helped during the cremation,” he said.
“For a while, children were not allowed to play in this lane,” said another resident.
(Disclaimer: Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
