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Burari deaths: delusions or dark secrets behind 11 deaths?

Burari Deaths | 11 Members Found Dead in Delhi: Was It a Cult?

By

Taro Nishida

Sep 5, 2025, 11:28 PM

Updated

Sep 6, 2025, 05:01 AM

2 minutes of reading

A somber view of a home with police tape, chairs placed in a circle, and dark shadows suggesting a mystery within.
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On July 1, 2018, 11 members of the Chundawat family were discovered dead in their Burari home in Delhi, raising alarms about possible cult involvement or shared delusion. The puzzling circumstances continue to perplex experts and the public alike.

Chilling Details

Police uncovered ten family members hanging from an iron grille in their courtyard. With hands tied, eyes covered with bandanas, and mouths gagged, the situation was disturbing. The 77-year-old matriarch, Narayan Devi, was found strangled separately in another room.

Ordinary Lives, Unthinkable End

Lalit's claims of channeling his deceased fatherโ€™s spirit and the familyโ€™s mysterious rituals are both unsettling and perplexing. They operated a humble grocery and plywood business, without signs of financial woes or enemies. The night of the deaths coincided with the Badh Tapasya ritual, symbolizing spiritual unity.

"Itโ€™s surprisingly easy to fool the human mind!" said a commenter, pointing to the family's possible manipulation by delusional beliefs.

Investigations and Public Reaction

Police labeled the incident a mass suicide caused by a shared psychotic disorder, with no evidence pointing to foul play. However, this raises questions: How did 11 individuals, including an elderly woman and teenagers, consent to such actions? Witnesses observed family members rehearsing the ritual days before. "They thought they were doing something right, but sadly it ended in tragedy," a forum comment noted.

The Netflix documentary, House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths, has reignited discussions about this case and its eerie details, including a haunting reflection: "The actual images and video footage of their hangings is extremely disturbing."

Themes Emerging from Conversations

  • Cult Connection: Some people believe the family's actions suggest cult behavior, intertwining family dynamics with potentially toxic ideologies.

  • Psychological Manipulation: Many express concerns about the ease of psychological manipulation within families. "Generation Why has a good episode on this," a commenter observes, reflecting shared sentiment.

  • Public Interest: The intriguing aspects of this tragedy spark an ongoing public dialogue about mental health and the dangers of shared beliefs.

Notable Quotes and Insights

  • % "Ten family members were found in a ritualistic position, suggesting a disturbing level of commitment."

  • ! "Could this be a case of shared psychosis, or was there something more sinister at play?"

Key Highlights

  • ๐Ÿ”ฆ 11 diaries revealed rituals mirroring the body positions discovered.

  • ๐Ÿ—ฃ Lalit Chundawat maintained he channeled his fatherโ€™s spirit, leading to the family's tragic decisions.

  • ๐ŸŽฌ Documentary Impact: Renewed public interest spurred by the Netflix series continues to fuel conversations.

The Burari case remains a chilling puzzle. While police conclude it was a mass suicide influenced by a shared delusion, the specific circumstances of the actions raise more questions than answers. As this story evolves, experts call for greater awareness of mental health issues within families, noting that communication can prevent tragedies like this.