Man held for killing brother, pregnant sister-in-law, nephew over property feud

The bodies of the three family members -- Madan Patil, his 35-year-old wife and son aged 11 -- were found behind their house along the banks of a river at Kalamb village in Karjat area on Sunday morning. The deceased woman was seven months pregnant, the police said.

The victims were attacked with an axe, due to which they received head injuries, they said. The police arrested Madan Patil's brother Hanumant Patil on Monday, a Neral police official said, adding a property dispute led to the triple murder.

After killing the three persons on Sunday, the accused went to a Ganesh pandal at his relative's place nearby early Monday morning and sat outside the pandal to show he was there since night, the official said. However, his movements were captured in a CCTV camera wherein he was seen at what time he reached and left the pandal.

Until he was arrested, the accused kept misguiding the police and denying his role in the crime, the official said. After a thorough interrogation, he confessed to killing the three persons, he said. A case has been registered against the accused under relevant provisions for murder, the police added.