Representative image of a crime scene.
Credit: iStock Photo
Ambala: An ex-serviceman allegedly hacked to death six members of his family, including his mother, a nephew and two nieces, in Naraingarh here over a land dispute, police said on Monday.
He also tried to burn the bodies in his house after committing the crime, they said.
The incident occurred in Rator village of Naraingarh on Sunday night, they said.
A niece, who was seriously injured in the attack, succumbed to her injuries at PGIMER Chandigarh, police said.
The retired soldier Bhushan Kumar allegedly brutally killed the family members and injured his father with an axe while they were asleep, the police said.
Preliminary investigation suggested that an alleged land dispute between the two brothers led to the incident, the police said.
The deceased have been identified as Kumar's mother Saroopi Devi (65), brother Harish Kumar (35), sister-in-law Sonia (32), and their three children -- Pari (7), Yashika (5) and Mayank (6 months).
The father of the accused, Om Prakash, tried to stop Kumar from killing his family members but was seriously injured. However, he managed to alert the neighbours, police said.
Prakash is undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital in Naraingarh, police said.
SHO Naraingarh, Inspector Rampal, said six people have died in the incident. Police teams have been formed to arrest the accused, who fled the spot after allegedly committing the murder.
These teams are raiding various places, the police said, adding that further probe in the case is on.
Police have also questioned two people who were stated to be close to the accused.
Resident Medical Officer of Ambala Cantonment Civil Hospital, Dr Mukesh Kumar, said that on Monday around 7 in the morning, the police had brought five bodies that were partially burnt. He said they also found wound injuries on their bodies.
The postmortem of the five bodies was being conducted in Ambala Cantonment civil hospital.