Paradip: Solving the mystery behind the recovery of bodies of a woman and her three children from Mahanadi river in Odisha's Paradip on May 10, the Kujang police today arrested the father of the deceased woman.

According to police sources, Akshaya Sethi, the arrested person, had killed her daughter Mamina Sethi (32), her daughters Barsha (20), Disha (8) and son Munna (5) in a bid to possess a compensation amount of Rs 2 lakh which was released by a firm over death of the woman's husband Anant in an accident on April 3.

On the fateful day, Akshaya initially strangled his two granddaughters Barsha and Disha to death and threw the bodies into the river. Later, he killed his daughter Mamina and grandson Munna in the same way and threw their bodies into the river as well, sources added.

Probing into the case, the Kujang police had earlier detained and questioned Akshaya and his son Kalia.