A 25-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly killing three members of his family in a brutal attack in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district, an incident that has deeply shocked residents of Sawanga village. The accused, identified as Deepak Dhurve, has reportedly confessed to murdering his father, mother, and younger brother, though investigators say he has not been able to provide a clear motive behind the killings. Police officials have indicated that the accused appeared to be mentally unstable, and his psychological condition is now a key focus of the ongoing investigation.
According to police, the incident occurred on Wednesday night while the family was at home preparing dinner. Authorities stated that Dhurve allegedly began attacking his younger brother, Dilip Dhurve, using an iron rod. When the parents rushed to intervene and attempted to protect their son, they too were assaulted and sustained fatal injuries during the violent outburst. The sudden escalation of violence left no opportunity for the victims to escape or seek help.
A five-year-old nephew who was present inside the house reportedly witnessed the entire incident. Family members later told investigators that the accused allegedly stepped on the child’s face and left him unconscious, believing he had died. The boy ultimately survived, which police described as a fortunate outcome in an otherwise tragic sequence of events.
Superintendent of Police Virendra Kumar Jain confirmed that the victims were identified as Raju alias Hansu Dhurve (55), his wife Kamalti Dhurve (40), and their younger son Dilip Dhurve (20). Neighbours grew suspicious the following day after noticing that no one from the household had come outside and repeated attempts to contact the family went unanswered. Concerned residents eventually forced open the door and discovered Deepak Dhurve sitting quietly inside the house near the bodies of the three victims. The carcass of the family’s pet cat was also found at the scene, which police believe may have been killed during the same incident.
Police conducted post-mortem examinations of all the victims as well as the animal before handing over the bodies to relatives for final rites. Kotwali police station in-charge Devkaran Daheria stated that the accused has admitted to committing the killings but has been unable to explain why he carried out the attack. Officials added that Dhurve had reportedly been displaying erratic behaviour for some time and has since been admitted to the district hospital for medical evaluation.
Investigators recovered iron rods and wooden sticks from the crime scene, which have been seized as evidence. Police said further clarity regarding the accused’s mental condition will emerge after examining his medical history and treatment records. Family members informed authorities that Dhurve had once been a promising student who aspired to join the Indian Army but was unable to qualify due to a leg-related medical issue.
Relatives also revealed that he had been undergoing treatment for mental health problems in Nagpur and had recently been taken to the Jam Sawari temple for faith-based healing rituals. Officials have stated that the investigation remains ongoing, with authorities examining both the circumstances of the crime and the accused’s mental health background to determine the next course of legal action.
