Unidentified assailants on Tuesday killed a former mayor of the Tirunelveli Corporation in Tamil Nadu, PTI reported. They also killed Uma Maheshwari’s husband Muruga Sankaran and their domestic assistant.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam member Maheshwari, 61, was the mayor of the Tirunelveli Corporation from 1996 to 2001.

The incident took place at Maheshwari’s residence around 3 pm. The police said the possible motive for the murders was a property dispute. The safe in the house was also found to have been broken into, the police added. The investigation into the incident has begun.

The incident came to light when the domestic worker’s mother came in search of her around 4.30 pm, News18 reported. However, PTI reported that it was reported when the couple’s daughter, who lived nearby, visited the house to meet her parents.