A 48-year-old woman and her 27-year-old son were killed in ward 1 of Parawanipur Rural Municipality in Bara district early Wednesday, while two other family members were seriously injured.

According to the District Police Office, the deceased have been identified as Sumitra Devi Mahato Mandal and her son Rameshwar Mahato Mandal. They were attacked with a sharp-edged weapon inside their home in Rahariya Diha.

Sumitra’s husband, Jagarup Mahato Mandal, and their 20-year-old daughter, Reena Kumari, sustained serious injuries in the attack. Police said both are undergoing treatment at LS Neuro Hospital in Parawanipur.

“The incident took place in the early hours of Wednesday. We immediately mobilised police teams and began an investigation,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Bijayraj Pandit. He said a trained sniffer dog has been deployed and forensic and technical investigations are underway.

Police have arrested Manita Mandal, the daughter-in-law of the deceased woman, in connection with the killings. Another suspect, identified as Dhirendra Mahato Dhanuk, has also been taken into custody.

According to Superintendent of Police Narendra Kunwar, preliminary investigations suggest the crime may be linked to an extramarital relationship. “Initial findings indicate a possible illicit relationship as the motive behind the incident,” he said, adding that both suspects remain in police custody.

Police said Dhirendra had recently returned from Dubai, where he had been working for foreign employment, and tensions escalated after his alleged relationship with Manita became known. An investigating officer said technical surveillance showed he had fled towards India before being arrested in the border area.

A knife suspected to have been used in the crime has yet to be recovered. Locals said the family had no known history of violent disputes. “We woke up to police sirens and heartbreaking news,” said a neighbour, adding that such violence was unimaginable in the area.