Surat Tragedy: Three Khetan Family Members Die by Suicide; Note Alleges Financial Harassment

Three members of the Khetan family were found dead in an apparent suicide at their residence in the Vesu area of Surat, Gujarat. Police said the family consumed a poisonous substance at their apartment in the Happy Elegance complex, allegedly amid severe financial distress.

The deceased have been identified as Balmukund Khetan, his wife Priyanka Khetan, and their nine-year-old daughter Bhavya Khetan. The couple’s younger daughter, aged seven, survived the incident.

According to police and multiple reports, emergency services were alerted after Priyanka Khetan placed a distress call to her father, saying: “I think Balmukund collapsed. Father, please come quickly.”

Neighbours who responded to the situation found all four family members unconscious. Balmukund Khetan was declared dead at the scene, while Priyanka and Bhavya later succumbed during treatment at a private hospital in Surat.

The younger daughter survived after reportedly vomiting shortly after ingesting the substance.

Preliminary findings indicate that the family consumed a toxic agricultural pesticide believed to be aluminium phosphide. During treatment, the surviving child reportedly told investigators that she had been “spoon-fed” something by her parents, leading authorities to suspect that the children may have been given the poison before the couple consumed it themselves.

Police recovered a three-page suicide note from the residence, allegedly written by Balmukund Khetan. In the note, he accused a man identified as Vaibhav Rungta of prolonged harassment and financial exploitation. According to police sources, the letter claimed that Rungta had taken the family’s vehicle and credit card and used the card for “unnecessary shopping.”
Beyond allegations of credit card misuse, the note also included personal requests. Balmukund reportedly asked that the family’s pet dog, Candy, be cared for and that their clothes and mobile phones be sent to his mother in Patna.
Days after the incident, Surat police tracked and arrested Vaibhav Rungta in Delhi. Authorities said the arrest was based on details mentioned in the suicide note, as well as electronic surveillance and financial records gathered during the investigation.

Rungta has been charged with abetment to suicide and criminal intimidation. Police officials stated that they are examining telephone records, bank and credit card transactions, and other evidence to establish the full timeline of financial dealings and the alleged harassment.

The incident has left residents of the Vesu locality shaken. A neighbour described it as “a terrible incident,” adding that the family’s struggles had not been apparent to those around them.​