Chandrika Rai (42), wife Durga Rai (40), son Jalaj (19) and daughter Nisha (14) were found lying in pools of blood in different rooms of the family's house. Rai worked as a free-lancer for dailies Navbharat and Hitavada, while his wife was a member of local Janpad.

According to the police, the house was locked from outside the whole day yesterday. Finding something amiss, Rai's brother went to the house and broke the lock to find the horrific scene inside.

The motive behind the crime is not known, but police suspect that it was committed on the night of February 17, and the culprits were known to the family.

The victims appeared to have been hit on the head by a heavy iron object.