Simrat Singh Walia died on the spot; son Manav is under observation in the ICU of Saroj Hospital at Madhuban Chowk.

Simrat’s relatives claimed she had been murdered; the police have recovered a suicide note. Simrat was 27.

The suicide note, written in English and Punjabi, says: “My husband is my first and last love. Nobody is responsible for my death. After I go, nobody will be there to look after Manav (her son), so I am shooting him as well.”

Simrat’s husband Gurminder Singh works as a government contractor; they got married in February 2003. The family lives in BFH-20, East Shalimar Bagh.

A senior police official said they suspect the incident took place at 12.30 pm, though the police were informed two hours later — at 2.30 pm, when they were in the hospital. “We are not ruling out foul play but it looks like a case of suicide.”

Simrat’s in-laws and relatives from her husband’s side remained tight-lipped about the incident; one relative, who did not want to be identified, said Simrat and her mother-in-law were the only ones at home when the incident occurred. “They were to host a party in the evening,” the relative said. “Her mother-in-law told her to clear the clothes-line — she went to the terrace, followed by little Manav.

“The next thing her mother-in-law heard were two gunshots.”

Simrat’s father Baldev Singh Walia is a member of the Congress party in Barnala (Punjab). Her father-in-law Bhajan Singh Walia is the general secretary of Akali Dal in Delhi.

Simrat’s in-laws said it was not a dowry harassment case. But her brother Suman Singh, on his way from Barnala when Newsline contacted him, claimed she was harassed at her in-laws’ house. “She was very depressed and often complained to us. But she is not someone capable of killing her son and committing suicide.”

DCP (northwest) Manish Aggarwal said an SDM inquiry has been ordered. “Things will be clearer after the report comes. We are investigating the matter,” he said.

Outside the house, a short scuffle broke out when the police tried to take the body for postmortem, with her relatives holding up the way. They demanded that Simrat’s family should be at the house before the police can take away the body. “Let them at least come and see the body,” one relative cried. “They can decide whether it was a murder or suicide.”

The body was finally taken away at 8.30 pm, after her relatives arrived.