The Vakola police on Tuesday arrested the in-laws of a 33-year-old man, who was found dead on Monday.

According to the Vakola police, the deceased has been identified as Sreedhar Harijan, a resident of Datta Mandir area in Vakola. The police said that he was murdered near his residence by his in-laws at 7.40 p.m.

Sreedhar’s brother Radhakrishnan said three months ago, Sreedhar’s wife Rajeshwari left him and went to stay with her parents along with their three children. On Monday morning, Sreedhar went to her residence to try and convince her to return. When she refused, Rajeshwari’s parents, Elangu and Pacchiamma Harijan, and her brother, Mahendra, intervened in the matter.

Mr. Radhakrishnan said, “On Monday evening, Mahendra, Elangu and Pacchiamma reached our house and attacked Sreedhar. Mahendra stabbed him thrice with a knife, Elangu hit him with a rod and Pacchiamma hit him with a hammer, causing his death.”

Sreedhar was rushed to a local hospital, where he was declared dead before admission. His family members approached the Vakola police late on Monday night and registered an FIR against Mahendra, Elangu and Pacchiamma. “All three accused were arrested on Tuesday morning,” senior police inspector Kailashchandra Avahad said.

The trio was charged with murder under the Indian Penal Code. Sreedhar’s body has been shifted to Cooper Hospital for a post-mortem examination.