You must have heard about people ending their lives and writing suicide notes. But, penning down six such notes have never been heard of.

That’s exactly what forty-two-year-old electrical contractor Arun Kashinath Palkar did after popping an overdose of sleeping pills after administering the same tablets to his wife and two children.

The shocking suicide pact on Sunday has left the residents of Samartha Vandan society on Dhayari-Narhe road stunned.

Well, blind faith in astrology can lead to strange things.

Palkar, in one of his suicide notes, said that the collusion of Saturn and Mars had ruined his life prompting him to take the drastic step.

While his wife Anita, 40, and sons Omkar, 11, and Omprakash, 6, have died, Palkar has been admitted to a private hospital.

A native of Khadkoli village in Chiplun taluka of Ratnagiri district, Palkar has been living in a rented flat at the society for the last one year.

The incident came to light when his brother Umesh came calling on the Palkar’s.

Haveli police said they reached the spot on Sunday morning after getting a call from the society residents.

Anita, Omkar and Omprakash were already dead, while Palkar was in the bedroom lying besides them.

The policemen have sent the dead bodies for post mortem at Sassoon hospital while Palkar has been shifted to Navale hospital in Narhe.

“We suspect that Arun administered the sleeping pills to the children first, then his wife and after writing suicide notes, he himself consumed the pills,” police inspector (crime), Sardar Patil, from Haveli police station, said.

Patil said, “On Saturday night, Arun’s younger brother Ramesh tried calling him but Arun did not reply. Ramesh called again on Sunday but to no avail. Anxious, Ramesh sent his brother Umesh to flat. When Umesh reached, he found the Palkars lying in bedroom.”

The police later recovered six suicide notes from the flat.

Located at around 15 km from the city centre, a pall of gloom descended on the society.

Amay Sanel, living in the first floor flat opposite the Palkars house, said, “The family appeared well off and amicable. This is shocking. The family enthusiastically participated in the programmes that society used to organise.”

He said that Arun was a devout and an ardent follower of astrology.

The six suicide notes

Addressed to none:“Due to the unfavorable collusion of Saturn and Mars, I started having problems in my life. It is affecting my business and my children’s life too. I insisted to my mother that I did not want to get married, but she didn’t listen. That caused problems in my life and business.”

Addressed to the police:“No one is responsible for this. I am solely responsible for the extreme step I have taken.”

Addressed to the doctors: “Do not perform a post mortem on us. It looks nasty.”

Addressed to brother:Explains his earnings and spendings. (Arun also left six signed blank cheques.)

Addressed to building owner:“Return the deposit money of Rs15,000 that I paid while taking this flat on rent to my brother.”

Addressed to society residents:“Please excuse me. You are going to face problem because of my step.”