Four members of a family were allegedly killed on Wednesday by a relative who hacked his victims with an axe and then set the bodies on fire in this district of Rajasthan, police said. Among them, a six-month child was hurled alive into the fire.
The incident took place early in the morning at Cheria village in the Osian area of the district, they said.
The assailant, identified as Pappuram (19), a nephew of the head of the victim family, has been arrested, Superintendent of Police (Jodhpur Rural) Dharemndra Singh Yadav said.
According to the police, Pappuram entered the victims' house on a farm at around 4 am and killed head of family Poonaram (60), his wife Bhanwari (55) and their daughter-in-law Dahpu (23).
"He killed three members one by one in their sleep by hitting them at their throats with an axe. He then gathered the bodies near the kitchen and set them ablaze," Yadav said.
The accused did not attack the child, Dahpu's six-month-old daughter Manisha, but threw her alive in the fire, he added.
Investigation revealed that there was a land dispute between Poonaram and his brother (Pappuram's father). Besides, Pappuram's brother had died under suspicions circumstances in Surat, Gujrat, sometime back and he suspected Poonaram of being involved in his death, the police officer said.
Poonaram had two sons -- while one was out for night shift at a stone cutter, the other lived with his family in Chamu, he said.
The accused knew about this and thought he would not face any resistance and would comfortably execute the murders, Yadav said.
"We began interrogating family members and sons of Poonaram and during this, suspicions grew around Pappuram," he said.
Earlier, Inspector General of Police, Jodhpur, Jainarayan Sher told PTI that a relative of the family was taken into custody and was being questioned.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal gave a statement on the incident in Rajasthan assembly in Jaipur.
He shared the details of the incident and informed the House that the accused has been arrested.
Leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore wanted to ask questions regarding the incident but chairperson Rajendra Pareek did not allow him, following which the BJP members stormed to the well of the House and later staged a walkout.
DGP Umesh Mishra has asked ADG (Crime) Dinesh M N to go to Osian to monitor the case.
SP Yadav said police teams have been formed to investigate the case.
A dog squad and a forensic team were also roped in to gather evidence, he added.
He said police rushed to the spot after villagers alerted them noticing the fire in the house of the victims.
Jodhpur Collector Himanshu Gupta, SP Singh and other officials visited the spot after the incident.
Union Jal Shakit Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat sought the resignation of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for the "betterment" of law and order in the state.
RLP chief and Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal also condemned the state government for spurt in the criminal incidents in Jodhpur.
He alleged that the Marwar region has become a hub of drugs, demanding stern action to control the situation.
Beniwal said people involved in such heinous crimes should be eliminated in "encounters".
"The incident of Jodhpur is heart-wrenching. If the accused involved in the case are not arrested within 24 hours, our party will launch an agitation," he said.
Congress MLA from Osian Divay Maderna demanded the removal of IGP Sher, alleging that he would just sit in his chamber and transfer SHOs, but would not meet visitors.
She said even she was not feeling safe as she herself was being attacked. Maderna was referring to an attack on her during the cooperative society's election earlier in Osian.
"None of my assailants have been arrested so far," she added.