A retired soldier killed five members of his family and tried to burn their bodies in Naraingarh area of Haryana's Ambala, police said on Monday. The deceased include the accused's mother, minor nephew and niece.
The incident occurred in Rator village of Naraingarh on Sunday night, they said. Preliminary investigation suggested that an alleged land dispute between the two brothers led to the incident, the police said.
The retired soldier Bhushan Kumar allegedly brutally killed the five family members and injured his father with an axe while they were asleep, news agency PTI quoted police as saying.
He also tried to burn the bodies after committing the crime, they added.
The deceased were identified as Bhushan Kumar's mother Saroopi Devi (65), brother Harish Kumar (35), sister-in-law Sonia (32), and their two children -- Yashika (5) and Mayank (6).
The father of the accused, Om Prakash, who was also injured in the attack, is undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital in Naraingarh, police said.
On receiving information about the incident, Ambala's Superintendent of Police Surinder Singh visited the spot late in the night.
Police teams have been formed to arrest the accused who fled the spot after allegedly committing the murder. Police said the teams were raiding multiple places to nab the accused.
