Five members of a family were allegedly hacked to death at their residence in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh during the wee hours of Sunday. The couple and their three children were asleep when the accused allegedly attacked them. The police suspect that the family was murdered due to a property dispute.

The cops suspect foul play from the couple’s nephew, Pawan, who used to stay with them. The youth was found missing from the house after the incident. Pawan was victim Rakesh Kumar’s nephew.

Ayodhya senior superintendent of police (SSP) Shailesh Pandey said that the alleged murder took place at the Baria Nisaru village, which falls under the limits of the Inayatnagar police station at around 12.30 am on Sunday. Prima facie, it appears that the deceased was attacked with a heavy, blunt object when they were asleep, Hindustan Times reported.

Rakesh Kumar, his wife, two sons and daughter had been staying with his elder sister’s son Pawan for the past few years. Reportedly, Pawan wanted to usurp his uncle’s property. The locals claimed that Pawan often argued with Kumar’s wife and demanded his share in the property.

The police suspect that Pawan was helped by some other people. After the cops were apprised, they formed five teams and conducted raids to arrest Pawan. A team of forensic experts also visited the crime scene and collected samples for further probe. The cops have not arrested anyone yet.