4 from farming family found dead in Nanded district; mass suicide suspected
Police suspect a suicide pact after parents were found at home and their sons on railway tracks, as investigators probe possible causes behind the deaths
Four members of a family were found dead at two different locations in Nanded district of Maharashtra on Thursday morning (December 25), in an incident police suspect to be a case of mass suicide.
According to officials, the bodies of farmer Ramesh Sonaji Lakhe (51) and his wife Radhabai Lakhe (45) were discovered around 8 am on a cot inside their house at Jawala Murar village in Mudkhed tehsil.
A short while later, the bodies of their sons, Umesh (25) and Bajrang (23), were found on nearby railway tracks. Preliminary findings suggest the two young men jumped in front of a speeding train, police said.
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Police inspector Dattatray Manthale said the parents were found dead inside their home, while the sons took their lives on the railway tracks. A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory has been called to collect evidence, and autopsies will be conducted to establish the exact cause of death.
'Hard-working and resilient family'
“While the deaths appear to be linked to a suicide pact, the truth will emerge only after a detailed technical investigation and post-mortem examinations,” Manthale said.
The family belonged to the small-scale farming community. However, officials said it was too early to conclude whether financial distress, personal issues or a domestic crisis may have driven them to take the extreme step.
Neighbours described the Lakhe family as hardworking individuals who struggled to sustain themselves through small-land farming but were known to persevere despite challenges.
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The Nanded rural police are recording statements from relatives and neighbours and are also searching for any suicide note or final message that could shed light on the circumstances leading to the deaths.
(Suicides can be prevented. For help, please call Suicide Prevention Helplines: Neha Suicide Prevention Centre – 044-24640050; Aasara helpline for suicide prevention, emotional support & trauma help — +91-9820466726; Kiran, Mental health rehabilitation — 1800-599-0019, Disha 0471- 2552056, Maithri 0484 2540530, and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.)
(With agency inputs)