A village in Maharashtra’s Nanded district woke up to a tragedy on Thursday morning when a farmer, his wife and their two sons were found dead in two locations, raising the possibility of a mass suicide and leaving many questions unanswered.

The bodies of Ramesh Sonaji Lakhe (51) and his wife Radhabai Lakhe (45) were discovered around 8 am on a cot inside their home at Jawala Murar village in Mudkhed tehsil, police said.

A short while later, the bodies of their sons, Umesh (25) and Bajrang (23), were found on nearby railway tracks. Police believe the two young men jumped in front of a speeding train.

“It appears they jumped in front of a speeding train,” an official said, adding that both died on the spot. The deaths of the parents, however, remain unclear.

There were no immediate signs pointing to how they died, and investigators are treating the case with caution. While the sequence of events suggests a possible suicide pact, police say it is too early to draw conclusions.

Police inspector Dattatray Manthale told reporters, “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.”

According to the investigation so far, Umesh and Bajrang left the house around 2:30 am. There are eyewitnesses who saw both of them jumping in front of the train, the official said.

Their bodies were later recovered from the tracks, triggering alarm among local residents. The Lakhe family belonged to the small-scale farming community.

Police said it is not yet confirmed whether financial distress, a domestic crisis, or any other factor pushed the family to take such an extreme step.

“It is unclear how the parents died. As all four members of the household have died, statements of kin are being recorded to piece together the chain of events and circumstances. We are checking for notes or final messages left by the family.,” the official said.

Neighbours described the family as hardworking and reserved. They said the Lakhes had been trying to make ends meet through small-land farming, a struggle shared by many families in the region.

However, no one reported any recent dispute or warning signs that could have hinted at what was to come. The post-mortem examinations of all four bodies have been conducted at a state-run hospital.

Police said the viscera has been preserved for chemical analysis to determine if poisoning or any other substance was involved in the parents’ deaths.

“The last rites were conducted in their village after post mortem. We are awaiting the final post mortem report, which is expected to give clarity in the incident,” the official said.

A case has been registered, with the complainant being the nephew of the deceased farmer.