Samples of the body parts have been sent for forensic examination

In a gruesome and planned murder, a man allegedly killed his father, chopped his body into pieces and stored the body parts in plastic buckets at his home in the Malkajgiri area of Secunderabad. The accused reportedly also forced his mother and sister to help through threats and blackmail.

The victim has been identified as Maruti Kishan, 80, a retired Indian Railways employee. The accused is his son Kishan, 39, who is said to be absconding. Kishan, who is unmarried, was reportedly jobless and quarrelled with his father over money, which is believed to have led to the attack.

"The accused would mix small amounts of Datura (a poisonous plant) in the victim's drink, so he would fall asleep after drinking and not create a nuisance. On Friday, a larger quantity was mixed and the man died, after which the son chopped up his body with a kitchen knife," Sandeep Gone, Assistant Commissioner of Police, said.

The accused's mother and sister claimed they had participated in the foul act against their will; they said they had been warned not to reveal details or speak to the neighbours. The victim was reportedly an alcoholic who regularly harassed his family.

The murder only became public two days later, after neighbours complained of foul odours from the house. They had attempted to make enquiries but made no headway and so reported the matter to the police.

Police officers who responded to the call were shocked to find the head, hands, legs and other body parts stuffed inside as many as eight plastic buckets. The accused had been unable to dispose of the dismembered parts because they were worried it would have been noticed by the neighbours.

Samples of the body parts have been sent for forensic examination.

Maruti Kishan had four children - two sons and two daughters. The elder son went missing in childhood and one of the daughters is married. The second daughter and son, the accused, lived with their parents.