In a shocking incident, a man allegedly murdered his mother and four sisters at a hotel in Lucknow, the capital of the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday (Jan 1), police said, adding that the accused has been arrested. 

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Arshad, a 24-year-old man, who is a native of Agra city of Uttar Pradesh, said that he took the step because of family disputes. 

Arshad reportedly served his family food and alcohol laced with intoxicants. After a few hours, he allegedly killed them. 

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He strangulated some of them while killing others with a blade. 

“Today, the bodies of five people were found in a room of Hotel Sharan Jeet. The local police reached the spot, and a person named Arshad, around 24 years old, a resident of Agra, was detained," Raveena Tyagi, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), told Indian news agency ANI. 

Arshad claimed that he killed his family members to "protect" them, alleging that their neighbours were eyeing their property in Agra and were also planning to sell his sisters in Hyderabad. 

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Recorded chilling video

“Our neighbours were trying to take over our property and planned to sell my sisters in Hyderabad. I couldn’t let that happen,” Arshad said in a recorded video, which is being shared on social media. 

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Arshad, after killing his mother and sisters, recorded a video of the crime and shared it online. In the video, he was showing the lifeless bodies of his mother and sisters, explaining how he killed them. 

He claimed that continuous pressure and harassment from his community in Agra led him to commit the murder. He further alleged that his father, Badar, assisted him in the heinous act. 

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Arshad's family had been staying at a hotel since December 30, and reportedly visited Lucknow to celebrate the New Year. 

Babloo Kumar, joint commissioner of police (crime and headquarters), said, "Regarding the bodies recovered, some show signs of injuries -- on the wrist of one, on the neck of another. Based on these marks, statements from witnesses, and the post-mortem report, we are conducting a detailed investigation into the matter."

After committing the act, Arshad dropped his father at the railway station before going to the police station to give his confession. 

The police also recovered the weapons used by Arshad to kill his family members, which included a blade and a dupatta.

(With inputs from agencies)