Five members of family found dead in Lucknow hotel, accused arrested

Five members of a family were found murdered inside a hotel here early on Wednesday, police said.

The accused has been arrested, a senior police officer said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Central Lucknow, Raveena Tyagi, said the incident took place at Hotel Sharanjit in Naka area of the state capital.

"The accused, identified as Arshad (24), allegedly killed five members of his own family. Following the gruesome act, the local police promptly apprehended the accused from the crime scene," Tyagi said.

The deceased have been identified as Alia (9), Alshia (19), Aksa (16) and Rahmeen (18) -- all sisters of Arshad. The fifth is Asma, the mother of the accused, according to police.

The DCP said Arshad, 24, is a native of Agra, adding the preliminary inquiry has revealed that he took the step because of domestic disputes.

The forensic teams have been deployed at the crime spot to collect evidence while a detailed probe has been launched into the matter, she said.

"Inquiry is also being conducted with nearby hotel staff, and any findings will be shared with the media as soon as they come to light," said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime and Headquarters) Babloo Kumar.

"Regarding the bodies recovered, some show signs of injuries -- on the wrist of one, on the neck of another. Based on these marks, statements from witnesses and the post-mortem report, we are conducting a detailed investigation into the matter," he added.