A 42-year-old man hacked his wife and six-year-old son to death and strangulated six-month-old daughter in Sitamarhi district on Saturday, police said.
The incident took place at Goat village under Bajpatti police station area during the wee hours, when all the victims were asleep, the police said.
Sitamarhi SP Anil Kumar said, “The accused was arrested on the basis of information given to police by villagers”.
The accused first hacked his wife and then killed his son, when he tried to raise an alarm. When his daughter started crying, he strangulated her as well, Kumar said.
Two other children of the accused, who were asleep in other room, managed to escape, said Kumar . “A sharp-edged weapon, which was used in crime, has been recovered from the spot,” he added.
Villagers, who gathered outside the house after children screamed for help, found three bodies lying in a pool of blood.
Police said they had started recording statements of the family members in order to ascertain the exact reason behind the accused taking such a drastic step. Meanwhile, police booked the man under Section 302 (murder) of IPC and have sent the bodies for autopsy.