Dipankar Samaddar had borrowed heavily to execute a government contract, hoping his RSP links would ensure prompt payment by the babus.

“That was a fatal mistake. He had no idea how long the government takes to clear bills,” said a close friend of his.

The debt-ridden realtor and his wife Subhra committed suicide in their Naktala flat after killing their 11-year-old son Rohan on Tuesday night. The bodies were found on Wednesday morning.

Dipankar had borrowed around Rs 1 crore from banks and money-lenders after bagging a contract eight months ago for constructing a part of a bridge in Chariyal, South 24-Parganas. His business associates said the contract was awarded to him courtesy his proximity to a section of senior RSP leaders. He had been actively supporting the Left Front partner for the past three years.

“Dipankar had hoped that paying back the money-lenders would not be a problem, as his RSP backers would push his bills through government departments fast. But that was not to be,” said a friend.

“Over the past few days, money-lenders must have been constantly hounding him, forcing him to end his life and that of his wife and son.”

After bagging the contract, Dipankar went slow on his cement business.

“The change was all too sudden. He stopped looking after the cement business. He also became irregular in paying my salary,” said Chandan Mitra, who has been Dipankar’s manager for the past 15 years.

“As the debts kept mounting, Bhaiyya (Dipankar) became desperate to get back the money he had invested in the construction business. He assured me that from June onwards I would get my salary regularly,” Chandan added.

RSP leader and PWD minister Kshiti Goswami said Dipankar was a party member and would often drop in at his residence. “But he never told us he was in a soup. We could have helped him.”

Forensic experts collected samples from Dipankar’s flat on Thursday.

“We are examining the suicide note but it would not be right to make any comment now,” said Praveen Kumar, the superintendent of South 24-Parganas police.