Bhubaneswar, May 13: A constable of the district voluntary force has shot himself after allegedly killing five persons, including four family members of his in-laws, at Mining Colony within Koraput town police limits, 500km from here, last night.

The police suspect family dispute behind the crime. The force is a part of Odisha police and plays a key role in anti-Maoist operations in the state.

Narendra Kandhapan, 30, allegedly opened fire from his AK-47 and killed all the five persons sitting in the car before committing suicide. The deceased were identified as Jalandhar Samarlia, 45, father-in-law of the constable, mother-in-law Hemalata Samarlia, 40, brother-in-law Mithun Samarlia, 22, sister-in-law Rachana Samarlia, 11, and their driver, Ekadasi Baidya, 25.

The police said Narendra, a native of Bangalaguda at Borigumma block, had joined the armed police reserve seven years ago. He had a quarrel with his wife, Jyotirmayee, for the past seven days.

Last night, Narendra reached home after duty and picked up a quarrel with Jyotirmayee as she was slightly late in serving him food. Suddenly, Narendra tried to throttle Jyotirmayee. When she rushed out of the house, Narendra followed her. He even attacked her with an iron rod. Terrorised, she called her parents and relatives over phone at Kakrigumma, around 40km from Koraput.

“As soon as his wife’s relatives reached the spot in a car, Narendra opened fire at them from his AK-47, killing all of them on the spot,” said a police official. The police said around 25 bullets were fired from his gun. Narendra, who has an 18-month-old daughter with Jyotirmayee, was living in a rented house.

Jyotirmayee was later admitted to the nearest hospital. The police said Narendra’s father-in-law was working as a contractual employee with the roads and buildings department at Kakiriguma.

“He picked up a quarrel over a silly matter last night and assaulted me with an iron rod. He even threatened to kill me. Later, when I called my parents, he also threatened to kill them,” said Jyotirmayee.

Acting on the tip-off, the police rushed to the spot and seized the bodies and sent them for post-mortem. “Preliminary investigation revealed that family discord was behind the crime. All the bodies bore bullet injuries. Further investigation is on,” said inspector general of police (southwest range) Y.K. Jethwa.

Sources said Narendra had an affair with Jyotrimayee before the marriage. Initially, he had been reluctant to marry her, but he agreed when she brought allegations of sexual harassment against him. She even lodged a case against him, but it was dropped after he had agreed to tie the knot with her in 2011. The police are investigating whether that incident had any link with the dispute that led to the killings.

“We have sent the bodies for post-mortem and will ask his wife to ascertain the exact cause of provocation that led to the crime,” said a police official. The police are also investigating the possibility of dowry demand behind the incident.