Bhubaneswar, Sept. 23: The state government today ordered a crime branch probe into the deaths of four members of a family at a village near Astaranga in Puri.

Retired district inspector of schools Dinabandhu Mallick, 67, his wife Nirmala, 45, and their two daughters, Pranati, 10, and Saswati, 4, were found dead at their residence, yesterday. All the four had their throats slit, and the bodies bore multiple stabbing injuries.

Sources said a three-member team, along with forensic experts, today visited the spot. "We would investigate all possible angles into the crime," said a crime branch official.

Mallick had been living at Nagar village for more than a decade. Earlier, villagers refused to hand over the bodies. They had staged a roadblock and demanded a high-level inquiry into the murders. After the government's decision, the agitators today allowed police to take away the bodies.

The police said Mallick had a second marriage with Pramila after his first wife died a natural death a decade ago. "All the three daughters from Mallick's first marriage are married, and we would investigate the property angle," said an official.

The police said the incident might have taken place between 6pm and 7pm yesterday. "There had been a power cut for one hour in the evening. The killers might have committed the crime taking advantage of the power cut, and later fled," he said.