In a bizarre incident, three persons of a family were murdered and another member was grievously injured as a kin of the victims attacked them with a chopper at Mohanguttu village under Dumaria thana area in Ghatshila thana area in the wee hours of Thursday.
The injured Rajesh Mahakud (15) was rushed to the Tata Main Hospital where his condition is said to be serious. Those killed have been identified as Gurucharan Mahakud (45), wife Vimla Mahakud and daughter Sulochana Mahakud (17).
The assailant Sudarshan Mahakud, who is younger brother of Gurucharan was taken into custody by the Domaria police who had rushed to the spot.
OC, Dumaria police station, Mohammed Kuddush said that the murder was result of a dispute between Gurucharan and Sudarshan over a plot of land at the village.
"We are investigating the incident as per our probe Gurucharan was sleeping in his house along with his wife in a room, and daughter Sulonchana and son Rajesh in another room, Sudarshan who resides in an adjoining house, entered into the house today.
He first attacked Gurucharan and killed him and had later chopped Vimla and Sulochana one after another," said Kuddush.
The OC, Dumaria said while Sudarshan (40) was killing, there was scream, which alerted the assailant's nephew Rajesh.
"He was shocked to see blood-stained chopper at the hand of uncle, he tried to prevent him, but the assailant did not listen to his nephew, and instead attacked him with the choper, causing him to sustain deep injury in the lower abdomen," the officer-in-charge said.
The officer-in-charge said they have also recovered the chopper which Sudarshan had used in killing his brother and other family members.