Three people, including two sisters and the brother-in-law of a deceased man, were arrested on Sunday in connection with the deaths of a couple and their three children in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, police said.
The five family members were found dead at their home in Nagla Shri Padam village near Rabupura on Saturday morning. The deceased were identified as Mahesh, 37, his wife Lalita, 35, their daughter Mishti, 7, and sons Laddu, 11, and Sakshat, 3.
The accused have been identified as Mahesh’s elder sister Sunita, 45, his younger sister Sapna, 32, and his brother-in-law Shekhar, also known as Chandrashekhar, 50. They were arrested following a complaint filed by a relative, Rabupura station house officer Sujeet Upadhyay said.
According to police, Mahesh had recorded voice notes on his mobile phone in which he allegedly held the three accused responsible for the deaths. Investigators are examining the recordings as part of the probe.
Preliminary inquiries suggest that a property dispute may have been a factor. Police said they were investigating claims that Sunita had influenced their mother, Chandrawati, to transfer the house where Mahesh lived with his family into her name. Mahesh was reportedly distressed after learning of the transfer.
Police said CCTV footage from the area did not show any outsider entering the premises around the time of the incident.
The case initially drew suspicion of food poisoning after reports that the family had eaten noodles before their deaths. However, post-mortem examinations indicated signs of poisoning, and viscera samples have been sent for forensic analysis. The exact cause of death has not yet been established.
Teams from the Forensic Science Laboratory and the Food Safety Department examined the scene and collected evidence. Police have registered a case under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with abetment of suicide.
The investigation is ongoing, and the allegations against the arrested individuals have not been established in court.