Guwahati, May 18 (IANS): A retired central paramilitary trooper shot dead his wife, son and brother-in-law in Assam's Dibrugarh district on Monday, police said.

Dibrugarh's Superintendent of police Sreejith T. said that 48-years-old Sanjay Das shot dead his wife Swapna Das, son Nabajyoti and brother-in-law Ghana Kanta Hazarika at Hukan Pukhuri village.

While Swapna died on the spot and Nabajyoti and Hazarika succumbed to their injuries at Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh town.

Sanjay, who had served in the Sashastra Seema Bal, fled from the village after committing the crime.

"We have launched a massive search operation to nab Sanjay," the district police chief, who is leading the operation, told IANS over phone.

Senior police officials in Assam and other northeastern states said that during the ongoing lockdown, overall crime has been reduced but crime against women and domestic violence increased compared to the normal situations.

"As the police and other security forces are very strictly controlling the people's movement due to the lockdown guidelines, overall crimes have drastically reduced. However, the crime against women and domestic violence has been increased," a police official, who refusing to be named, told IANS.