The bodies of a 32-year-old woman and her three children were found hanging inside their hut in Bihar's Purnea district, police said on Thursday.

The incident took place in Kilapara village in Rauta police station area.

The woman, and her three children – two boys and a girl – were found hanging with saris from a bamboo pole in their hut late on Wednesday, a police officer said.

The deceased have been identified as Babita Devi (32), her daughter Riya (8) and two sons Suraj Kumar (5) and Sujit Kumar (3).

According to villagers, Ravi Sharma, the husband of Babita Devi, was not present when the incident took place.

Baisi Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Aditya Kumar, while speaking to reporters, said, "The exact cause of the incident is yet to be ascertained. The matter is being investigated from all angles. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination." A local police officer, on the condition of anonymity, said villagers claimed that the woman had been suffering from mental illness.

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