Police in India's capital New Delhi said they found 11 bodies in a home in mysterious circumstances on Sunday, 10 of them blindfolded and hanging from the roof.

The victims belonged to the same family and most of them had lived in the same home in Burari village in the northern part of New Delhi, said police officer Vineet Kumar.

Police are investigating whether the victims — four men, three women and four girls — died by suicide or were killed, Kumar said, adding that no suicide note was found.

There were no bullet marks on the bodies of the victims, and there was no sign of forced entry into the house, Kumar said.

Ten bodies, blindfolded by cotton and pieces of cloth, were found hanging from an iron grill used as a ventilator in the home's courtyard, while the body of a 70-year-old woman was lying on the floor of the house, said a police official who spoke on condition of anonymity, in line with department policy.

The family had been living in the house for more than two decades, the Hindustan Times reported.

It also said that the house belongs to a businessman who ran a plywood shop and dairy.

The newspaper said that at around 8am on Sunday, a neighbour with whom the businessman used to go for morning walks went to see him and found the door of the house open and 10 people — including the businessman — hanging. He raised an alarm and people from the neighbourhood called the police.

“It is a tragic incident. Police are investigating it. Let's wait for their investigation to be over,” said New Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who visited the scene.

In a video posted on Twitter by Kejriwal's ruling party, the neighbours are heard telling Kejriwal that the family was busy with wedding preparations.

A neighbour of the family said they couldn't have committed suicide, New Delhi Television reported.

According to the report, the neighbour said he spoke to one of the victims on Saturday night and found no sign of any stress.

Indian TV channels broadcasted interviews with neighbours who said the family did not have any discord among themselves.

Police official Rajesh Khurana told reporters that all angles were being investigated. “We can't rule out anything,” he said.

Opinion

Editorial

Enrolment drive
Updated 10 May, 2024

Enrolment drive

The authorities should implement targeted interventions to bring out-of-school children, especially girls, into the educational system.
Gwadar outrage
10 May, 2024

Gwadar outrage

JUST two days after the president, while on a visit to Balochistan, discussed the need for a political dialogue to...
Save the witness
10 May, 2024

Save the witness

THE old affliction of failed enforcement has rendered another law lifeless. Enacted over a decade ago, the Sindh...
May 9 fallout
Updated 09 May, 2024

May 9 fallout

It is important that this chapter be closed satisfactorily so that the nation can move forward.
A fresh approach?
09 May, 2024

A fresh approach?

SUCCESSIVE governments have tried to address the problems of Balochistan — particularly the province’s ...
Visa fraud
09 May, 2024

Visa fraud

THE FIA has a new task at hand: cracking down on fraudulent work visas. This was prompted by the discovery of a...