Rajgir: The bodies of four members of a family from Karnataka were discovered hanging inside a guesthouse room in Rajgir, Bihar, days after their deaths, in a case that has prompted a wide-ranging police investigation.
The deceased – a 78-year-old woman, her two daughters and her son – were found inside a locked room at the Digambar Jain Dharamshala on Friday morning after a foul smell alerted staff and residents. Police said all four bodies were suspended from ropes tied at different corners of the room and were in an advanced state of decomposition, with skin peeling off, indicating the deaths had occurred several days earlier.
The victims have been identified as G R Sumangala, her daughters Shilpa G R (48) and Shruta G B (43), and her son G R Naga Prasad (50), all residents of Ballepete village in Tumkur district of Karnataka. Police recovered Rs 1.18 lakh in cash, jewellery, Aadhaar cards and PAN cards from the room.
According to the guesthouse caretaker, Mukesh Jain, the family arrived on January 31 and initially booked the room for one day. “Their booking was to end on February 1, but the son asked to extend it for another three to four days,” he said. After that, the family was not seen leaving the room.
Residents of the guesthouse said an unpleasant smell had been coming from the room since February 5, but it was initially assumed to be from a nearby toilet in the corridor. Concern grew when the smell intensified and it was noticed that the room remained locked from the inside. Police were informed on the morning of February 6.
Officers peered through a hole in the door and saw bodies hanging inside. A magistrate was called, and the door was broken open. Inside, police found three women and one man in a small room containing only a bed and a table, with belongings scattered around. The window next to the door was also shut.
Nalanda superintendent of police Bharat Soni said that, based on documents recovered and the guesthouse register, it was confirmed that two of the siblings were unmarried, one daughter was divorced, and the mother was disabled. “Prima facie, it appears to be a case of mass suicide, as the room was locked from inside,” he said. “However, because the hands were found tied and there was tape on the mouths, every angle is being investigated.”
A forensic science laboratory (FSL) team from Patna examined the scene after police cordoned off the area. An eight-member special investigation team (SIT) has been formed, and a separate police team is being sent to Bengaluru to collect information about the family’s background and relatives.
The bodies, which doctors say had reached the third stage of decomposition, have been sent to Patna Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examinations to be conducted by a medical board under videography. Police are also analysing CCTV footage from the guesthouse.
Officials said the exact cause and circumstances of death would only be clear after forensic and expert reports are received.
