Man Kills 3 Of Family With Axe In Jharkhand Village, Arrested

Three members of a family were allegedly hacked to death by a neighbour, believed to be mentally unstable, in Jharkhand's Bokaro district on Wednesday, police said.

The accused, identified as Raju Singh, has been arrested, they said.

Police said he was allegedly suffering from mental illness and was addicted to alcohol.

The incident took place at Kukurlilwa village in the Nawadih police station area when Janki Mahato was on his way to his farmland in the morning.

"The accused allegedly attacked Janki Mahato with an axe on his head and neck, leaving him critically injured. When his wife, Sugiya Devi, rushed to his rescue, she was also attacked and died on the spot," Bokaro SP Nathu Singh Meena told reporters.

Hearing the commotion, the couple's daughter-in-law, Gauri Devi (45), also came to the spot and was allegedly assaulted by the accused.

She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries during treatment, the SP said.

Police said all three bodies would be sent to Bokaro Sadar Hospital for post-mortem examination.

The accused has been taken into custody and is being interrogated, Meena said.

Preliminary investigation has ruled out any personal enmity between the accused and the victims, he said.

"According to locals, there was no dispute between them. The accused suddenly attacked the family without any apparent provocation," he added.

Police said the accused had a history of violent behaviour. He had allegedly attacked his wife with an axe a few months ago, driven his elderly parents out of the house, and was living alone.

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