As many as six members of a family, including two children, were found dead in an apartment in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district on Sunday, in what police said appeared to be a suicide pact.

The deceased were identified as Naresh Maheshwari, a resident of CDM Apartment near Khajanchi Talab area of Hazaribagh Sadar, his father Mahavir Maheshwari, 70, mother Kiran Devi, 65, wife Preeti Maheshwari, 40, and his two children, Aman, 8, and Anvi, 6, The Indian Express reported.

Naresh Maheshwari jumped to death from his third floor flat, police said. “Bodies of Mahavir, who hanged himself, and his grandson, Aman, were found in the same room,” an unidentified police officer said. “Aman’s throat had been slit with a sharp-edged weapon. Anvi’s body was found on a sofa, where she was strangled. Preeti’s body was also found hanging, while her mother-in-law, Kiran, too died of hanging, but her body was found lying on the bed. It appears that after Kiran’s body was brought down after she died and then Preeti hanged herself.”

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The police found a suicide note from the home. “It has been found that the girl [Anvi] was administered ether,” Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Chand Kumar Vats said. “It is possible that she was first made unconscious and then strangled. Naresh was the last one to end his life, by jumping from the third floor. A brown envelope was also recovered from the spot. It talked about a closed shop, huge debt, tension and such things leading to death. It has also been written that since Aman could not be hanged, his throat had to be slit.”

Vats added that the bodies have been sent for an autopsy.

The incident comes two weeks after 11 members of a family were found dead in New Delhi’s Burari area. Ten of the bodies were found blindfolded and hanging from a railing, while one was on the floor. The family performed the acts allegedly as part of a ritual, believing that the spirit of a deceased family member would protect them.