Two members of a family were killed, allegedly over a property dispute, at Ghorasahan in East Champaran district, around 180km north of Patna, late on Tuesday night.

Police said a group of armed men attacked Sonu Kumar Yadav, 25, and his younger brother Rosh Kumar, 21, when they were returning home to Jagiraha Kothi on a motorbike after closing their photo studio at Ghorasahan market.

Eyewitnesses told the police that the assailants waylaid the two brothers and attacked them with a sharp-edged weapon. The victims died on the spot. The marauders, however, drove away after committing the crime. The police recovered their motorbike from the spot.

The police had to face the ire of the residents when the former reached the spot to inquire into the incident. The protesters were demanding immediate arrest of the accused. On being informed, senior police officials rushed to the spot and pacified the mob.

East Champaran additional superintendent of police Bambam Choudhary said an old dispute over a plot of land was stated to be the reason behind the murders. The two brothers had earlier survived an attack by their enemies.

"One person has been detained for interrogation. Raids are underway to nab the real culprits and they will be brought to book at the earliest," the additional superintendent of police told The Telegraph over phone.

He revealed that the deceased's family members were in shock over the incident. "The police will record the statement of the family members after the situation turns normal," the officer said.

A close relative of the deceased said one of the two slain brothers, Sonu, had apprehended threat to their lives and had submitted petitions to the senior police officers a couple of months back. However, no security was provided to the family.