Puri: In a shocking incident, three members of a family, including two brothers, were hacked to death by assailants near a police check post in Odisha’s Puri district today.

The incident took place near Pattnaikiya chhak on Puri-Bhubaneswar main road in Pipili this afternoon amid presence of several people.

The deceased have been identified as Purnachandra Behera, Krushnachandra Behera and Parsu Behera.

While no exact reason has been known of the brutal murder, it is suspected that the incident could be the fallout of land dispute and previous enmity.

Angry over lawlessness and brutal murder in broad daylight at a time millions of people visiting Puri for Rath Yatra, the locals burnt tyres and staged road block demanding immediate arrest of the accused.

On being informed, the Satyabadi and Pipili police reached the spot and have launched an investigation into the incident.

The bodies were seized and sent for autopsy to Puri district headquarters hospital (DHH).