Four tourists from Andhra Pradesh were found dead in an ashram at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, with preliminary investigations suggesting a suicide pact. The tourists allegedly hanged themselves in a room they were staying in on the third floor of Kashi Bhavan in Andhra Ashram under Dashashwamedh police station, police said on Thursday.

The Police Commissioner of Varanasi, Mutha Ashok Jain, said that the victims, all belonging to the same family, had been staying at the ashram since December 3.

“It seems to be a suicide pact, and these people have been staying here since 3rd December. Prima facie, it appears that they hanged themselves because of some personal issues,” Jain told reporters.

When they stayed in the room even after checking out and didn’t come out till Thursday evening, a staff of the building went upstairs and knocked on the door. With no response from the other side, the staff peeped from the window and saw four bodies hanging in the room, according to the police.

The staff alerted the manager who informed the police. Assistant Commissioner of Police Awadhesh Pandey, along with a team of police, reached the spot after receiving information.

Jain said that a suicide note was recovered from the site.

“Through the suicide note, we can figure out that there were some financial issues,” he added.

The deceased individuals, including three males and one female, belonged to East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh and had reached Varanasi on December 3.

The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination and a probe was on to find the exact cause of the incident, said police.