Nalanda (Bihar), Feb 6 (PTI) Four tourists, including three women, from Karnataka were found hanging in their room at a dharmshala in Bihar’s Nalanda district on Friday, a police official said.

The available documents suggest that the victims were members of a family - an elderly woman, her son and two daughters.

The incident occurred in Rajgir town, a major pilgrimage site for both Buddhists and Jains.

As a foul smell was emanating from their room, which was booked in the name of GR Naga Prasad, the police broke open the door and found the four tourists dead.

The deceased have been identified as GR Sumangala (78), her daughters Shilpa GR (48) and Shrutha GB (43), and son GR Naga Prasad (50), all residents of Gubbi in the Tumkur district of Karnataka.

GR Sumangala is the wife of Ratnabala Raju, according to the documents.

The initial police statement had said that two men and two women were found hanging.

Rajgir DSP Sunil Kumar Singh said, “At around 9:40 am, the manager of the dharmshala informed the Rajgir police station that some people had arrived from Bengaluru and were staying in a room. A foul smell was emanating from that room.” Singh said that when the police personnel, in the presence of a magistrate, entered the room, which was locked from inside for three days, the four were found hanging.

The DSP said that mobile phones were seized from the incident spot, and it was ascertained from the phone numbers that they were from the southern metropolis.

According to a statement issued by the district police, the dog squad inspected the scene, and forensic experts conducted photography and videography in the presence of the magistrate before the bodies were taken down.

A large quantity of sleeping pills, 25 strips, was also recovered from the belongings of the deceased, the statement added.

The police also found Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, ATM cards, other documents, cash amounting to Rs 1,18,000, and personal belongings of the deceased.

“Karnataka Police were contacted and, with the assistance of Gubbi (Rural) Police Station, their family members were informed,” a police official said.

All bodies have been sent to Sadar Hospital in Bihar Sharif of Nalanda district for post-mortem examination after preparing the inquest report. The autopsy will be conducted by a medical board with videography, police said.

Nalanda SP has constituted a special investigation team to examine all aspects of the case. In this connection, a two-member team has also been sent to Gubbi in Karnataka. PTI COR SUK NN