Kapurthala, Punjab, Aug 8 : Avtar Singh, a property dealer who has done PhD in Agriculture, shot himself after shooting his wife, son and daughter to death in sleep inside his house in Lakshmi Nagar here on Wednesday morning.
He used his licensed rifle to shoot his wife Rupinder Kaur (39), 14-year-old son Gaurav and 8-year-old daughter Amanat.
Avtar Singh, 44, then rang up his cousin Karamjit Singh Thind at 5:45 am to say that he has finished off his family and was proceeding to kill himself. He also rang up his brother-in-law Sukhraj Singh in Jalandhar and told him the same.
Before the relative could understand what Avtar was saying, the latter shot himself to death, said SSP Kapurthala Indervir Singh.
Karamjit Singh Thind rushed to his house, found the door locked from inside, scaled the wall and entered through a side door to find Avtar lying down with his .12 rifle pointing towards his neck, and family members lying in pools of blood.
Neighbours said, the realtor was upset over non-paymnt of Rs 1.5 crore by a client, who gave him 10 bounced cheques. Others said, the man's son Gaurav was physically and mentally challenged.
Police have registered a case of suicide and the cause of these murders is being ascertained.
