Udhagamandalam:
Three members of a family were hacked to death and a young woman seriously injured today near here in a suspected attack by a youth, who made a vain bid to marry her, police said.
On hearing screams and shouts for help in the wee hours, neighbours rushed to the farm house of Jogi (58) in Obeli near Gudalur, about 50 km from here, and found him and his 22-year old daughter with severe cut injuries and his wife and mother-in-law lying dead in a pool of blood.
Jogi, a farmer, and his daughter Josiya were rushed to nearby Gudalur Hospital, where he was declared brought dead. The woman has been shifted to the Government district headquarters hospital here, police said.
Police suspect a youth from Wayanad in Kerala, who had sought to marry Josiya even as negotiations were on for her wedding with another man, to be behind the murders