NAUSHAHRO FEROZE, Oct 26: A woman, her husband and father-in-law were shot dead in their house by intruders in Old Shahmir Dero village near Mohbat Dero on Wednesday early morning.

The motive of the triple murder was said to be the wrath of the relatives of the woman over her free will marriage.

Over two dozen assailants armed with Kalashnikovs and guns barged into the house of Abdul Ghafoor Mallah and opened indiscriminate fire, killing him, his son Nisar Ahmed and his wife Naseem.

However, five-month baby of the couple remained unhurt.

The bodies were taken to Kandiaro taluka hospital and, after post-mortem, handed over to relatives.

Police have registered a case under sections 302, 311, 148, 149 and 337-H(2) of the Pakistan Penal Code against Kamran Ali and Aijaz Ali, brothers of Naseem, and 27 unidentified accused.

An official of the Mohbat Dero police station said that Naseem had eloped with Nisar from her house in Nawabshah and married him two years ago. This angered her parents who lodged a kidnapping case against Nisar. He was arrested and Naseem was sent to Darul Aman as she refused to go with her parents.

Later, the dispute between the two families was resolved at a reconciliation meeting which refused to recognise the marriage and ordered Nisar not to meet his wife in Darul Aman and return her to her parents if she came to his house.

However, Nisar failed to obey the decision as Naseem reached his house one year ago and lived with him since then, giving birth to a child five months ago.