A family of four was found dead on February 21 in Andheri (West), Mumbai, reports mid-day. The bodies of the two siblings - Somnath Kartik Pal (20) and his sister Bharti Pal (25) were found hanging at an Oshiwara flat, where they were employed as housekeepers. Later that day, the police discovered the bodies of the 45-year old mother, Sikha Pal and her second husband, Ajitkumar Patel (50), at their flat in Lokhandwala.

The curious case of the suicide notes

Bharti's suicide note was written in English and signed by her. However, it was only recovered at her parents' Lokhandwala flat. While abuse at the hands of Singh drove Bharti and Somnath to allegedly end their lives, their mother said in one of the videos, "My children were my life. Now that they are taking their lives, I don't want to live anymore."

The stepfather, however, took his life as he was depressed due to severe diabetes and hypertension.

Was this plan six months in the making?

The police believe that Bharti is suicide note was written six months ago. They also believe that unlocking her password-protected phone will determine whether this was the case. “The phone is crucial as it may contain more such videos or clues about people she had spoken to before taking the extreme step along with her family members,” said a police officer, according to mid-day.