Five people, including a police inspector, have been killed and two others critically injured after a man suffering from depression attacked them with an iron rod in Tripura's Khowai district on Saturday.

Additional Superintendent of Police Rajib Sengupta said that Pradip Debroy suddenly attacked his two teenaged daughters and younger brother and killed them on the spot in his house in Shewratali village in the morning. He also seriously injured his wife who has been admitted to Khowai District Hospital.

Debroy then stopped an autorickshaw driver on the road and killed him and seriously injured his son. The condition of both the injured persons is stated to be critical.

On receipt of the information about the incident, when a police team led by Inspector Satyajit Mullick reached the spot, Debroy attacked him. The officer succumbed to the injuries while being taken to Agartala Government Medical College, Sengupta said.

Superintendent of Police Kiran Kumar said that Debroy was suffering from mental depression for the last few days and he has been arrested.

A police contingent has been deployed in the village, he added.