Rourkela, May 13: A youth has attacked a 70-year-old woman and two minors of a family with a sharp weapon and an iron rod at Sundargarh town.

The accused, Tanmay Ranjan Patel, 22, fled the spot after committing the crime last night. The three injured persons - Tilottama Patel, 70, and her grandchildren Shrija, 16, and Jaga, 12 - have been admitted to district headquarters hospital and are stated to be out of danger.

Shrija's father Manoj Patel, along with his wife, has gone to Delhi to get his eldest child admitted to an institution.

The Patels had hired Tanmay to provide tuitions to the children four years ago. Sources said Tanmay had fallen for Shrija in due course and developed a one-sided affair. However, as the family became suspicious of his activities, they disengaged him from the tuitions after a month.

Last evening, Tanmay came to the Patels' house. Shrija opened the door and he asked her to show her mathematics notes and give him a glass of water.

While the girl was searching for the notebook, the accused hit her head with a dagger from behind.

Hearing Shrija's cry, Tilottama entered the room and fought the accused. He tried to hit Tilottama with an iron rod, but she escaped with injuries on her arms and face. Jaga rushed to the room as well.

As the accused tried to attack him, the boy picked up a stool and used it as a shield and the dagger got stuck in it. Then Tanmay whipped out a knife and attacked Jaga.

Hearing them screaming for help, the neighbours gathered around the house and the accused fled the spot brandishing the dagger. However, he left his motorbike outside, a police official said.

The police have shifted the injured persons to Sundargarh Town Hospital.

Inspector in charge of Sundargarh Town police station Pradip Jena said: "Investigation is on to trace the accused."

"The condition of all three injured is stable. Shrija is out of danger in spite of having head injuries," said a doctor attending to the girl.