India: 22-year-old kills parents, sister over family dispute

Bhubaneswar: In a shocking case of family violence, a 22-year-old man allegedly killed his father, mother, and sister in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district on Tuesday.

The accused, identified as Suryakanta Sethi of Dhoba Sahi in Jayagada village, reportedly attacked his father, Prasanta Sethi (alias Kalia), mother Kanakalata Sethi, and sister Mamali Sethi with a heavy object, possibly a stone or an iron rod.

Jagatsinghpur Superintendent of Police Bhawani Sankar Udgata stated that an investigation was launched immediately after the crime was reported. “The accused has been nabbed, and it appears he may have mental health issues,” he added.

Confession

A villager who informed the police said that Suryakanta personally confessed to the killings before fleeing. Upon reaching the scene, police found the victims lying in a pool of blood. A scientific team was also deployed to aid in the investigation.

According to the accused’s elder brother, Suryakanta had been struggling with mental health issues, and the family had planned to take him for treatment in Cuttack on the same day of the crime. Jagatsinghpur MLA Amarendra Das, who had previously assisted the family in resolving property disputes, expressed faith in the police investigation, stating that the motive behind the gruesome act would soon be revealed.

Second incident

In another horrifying case, a 30-year-old man, Sambhu Singh, allegedly hacked his elderly father to death in Mayurbhanj’s Chandua police station area. According to local police, the accused later surrendered, carrying his father’s severed head.

The incident reportedly stemmed from an argument the previous evening when the victim, Baidhar Singh, refused to give his son money to buy a packet of tobacco. Both cases have left their respective communities in shock, highlighting disturbing trends of domestic violence and mental health concerns.