BATALA: A man allegedly killed his wife and minor daughter following a domestic dispute at their rented house in Friends Colony here late Friday night before fleeing the spot.The incident came to light on Saturday morning when the woman’s brother, after failing to get any response from the house, went there and found the bodies of his 40-year-old sister, Babli, and her 12-year-old daughter lying near the staircase.Confirming the incident, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mehtab Singh said preliminary investigation indicated that a domestic dispute could be behind the double murder. The SSP said the woman’s husband, identified by the family as Jaswinder Masi, was allegedly involved in the killings and had absconded. Police have registered an FIR and launched a probe.According to police sources and family members, the victims had been living with Jaswinder in a rented house in Friends Colony. The woman’s brother, Vijay, alleged that Jaswinder was addicted to drugs and frequently assaulted his sister. He also allegedly demanded money from her to buy drugs, the family claimed.Babli worked in houses in the locality to support the family and meet her daughter’s educational and household expenses. The family alleged that frequent quarrels took place after Babli and her daughter objected to Jaswinder’s drug use.Relatives said Jaswinder and the minor daughter had a heated argument on Friday, a day before the bodies were discovered. The girl had reportedly informed her maternal relatives about the dispute over the phone.Police said deep cut injuries were found on the necks of both victims, while the woman also bore head injuries. The exact cause of death will be established through a postmortem examination.A police team reached the house after the incident was reported. Police examined the crime scene, collected evidence and began checking CCTV footage from the surrounding area, police sources said.The accused remains absconding, and police teams have been conducting searches to trace him, the SSP said, adding that the investigation is underway.
