Patna, Aug 13 : The police in Bihar's Begusarai on Tuesday arrested a 17-year-old boy in connection with the murder of four individuals, including his father, stepmother, and stepsister.

On the night of August 9, the accused, a Class 10 student, allegedly committed the heinous crime at Chiranjivipur village in Begusarai district. The attacker used a baton and a knife to commit the murders, which the police later recovered along with the accused's clothes from the Balan River.

The deceased have been identified as Sanjivan Mahto (40), his wife Sanjeeta Devi (36), and their daughter Sapna Kumari (10). His six-year-old stepbrother, who was critically injured, died at a hospital on Sunday.

Sanjivan married twice and the accused teenager is the son of his first wife.

According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Manish, the accused acted like a seasoned criminal.

'Despite committing the brutal crime, he was found weeping next the victims' bodies in an attempt to cover up his involvement,' the officer said.

According to the police, the boy was reportedly humiliated by his stepmother while his father also did not support him. On the night of August 9, he went to his father's house, hit the victims on their head with a baton before slitting their throats.

'During interrogation, the teenager broke down and confessed to the crime, revealing the extent of his resentment and the premeditated nature of his action,' the SP said.

According to the police, after committing the crime the accused disposed of the murder weapons in the Balan River.

'The following day, before the police arrived at the crime scene, the accused was seen weeping next to the bodies of his father and stepsister. He even took his critically-injured stepbrother to the hospital, thus further complicating the investigation,' the officer said.

/IANS