Patna, May 28: A 25-year-old woman and her six-year-old son were found murdered at their Mainpura residence under Patliputra police station this morning.

The victims identified as Ranju Devi and Sunit Raj had been strangled to death.

The house owner, Santosh Singh, who runs a departmental store in the same locality, told the police that criminals entered his house around 10.30pm on Friday, looted cash and valuables and then killed his wife and son when they protested their loot attempt. Station house officer (SHO) of Patliputra police station G.D. Mishra said a police team visited the site where the incident occurred after getting information about the murder at Ram Janki Mandir lane at Mainpura.

Singh told the police that the criminals ransacked the room, opened the almirah and took away Rs 70,000 after killing his wife and his minor son. However, his four-year-old daughter, Shristi, who was sleeping in another room, survived and was not harmed by the criminals.

Singh, too, was assaulted by the criminals and he suffered injuries on his back. The matter came to light when a milkman found the door of the house ajar in the morning. He informed Singh’s neighbour, who reported the matter to the police. Patna senior superintendent of police Alok Kumar and city superintendent of police S. Lande also visited the spot and issued necessary directives to the investigating officers. The police, however, did not rule out the involvement of some insiders in the crime. An extramarital affair of the woman is believed to be the reason behind the killing, an officer associated with the investigation, said.