A farmer, his wife and their two sons were found dead at two separate locations in Maharashtra’s Nanded district on Thursday morning, in an incident police believe may be a case of mass suicide, an official said.
The bodies of Ramesh Sonaji Lakhe (51) and his wife Radhabai Lakhe (45) were found around 8 am lying on a cot inside their home at Jawala Murar village in Mudkhed tehsil, the official said.
Later, the bodies of their sons, Umesh (25) and Bajrang (23), were discovered on nearby railway tracks, with initial findings suggesting they jumped in front of a speeding train.
Police inspector Dattatray Manthale said, “The parents were found dead inside their home, while the sons took their lives on the railway tracks. We have asked a Forensic Science Laboratory team to collect evidence. The truth will come out only after a thorough technical investigation and autopsy.”
He added that while the deaths appeared to be linked to a suicide pact, the precise circumstances were still under investigation.
The family belonged to the small-scale farming community, though it is yet to be established whether financial stress or a domestic issue prompted the alleged suicide, the official said.
Neighbours described the Lakhe family as hardworking, noting that they faced the challenges of small-land farming while striving to sustain themselves.
Police said the Nanded rural police are recording statements from relatives and searching for any notes or final messages left behind by the family.